Three Rivers Fire Update – May 1, 2021
Acres: 6,951
Percent Containment: 13%
Date/Time Detected: 8:42 am, April 26, 2021
Resources: 361
Vegetation: Grass, dead/down timber, mixed conifer
Cause: Unknown, under investigation
Origin/Location: ½ mile north of Three Rivers
Ruidoso, New Mexico, May1, 2021 – Firefighters continue to make progress in their work to contain the Three Rivers Fire that has been active over the past week. Containment, normally stated as a percentage, shows how much of the fire has been enclosed by a control or fire line. To achieve containment, crews remove vegetation next to the fire’s edge, creating a fire line. With no additional fuel to consume, the fire remains within the established fire line perimeter. Today we will start seeing a warming and drying trend over the fire area.
The scattering of the multiple smaller fires inside the perimeter continue to burn. As fuels dry out due to warmer temperatures and increasing winds from the southwest, smoke from the fire may be visible from the west side of the Crest Trail.
Safety of the public and firefighters is always the top priority in wildland fire operations. As fire activity is anticipated to pick up, please be aware of increased fire traffic in town and avoid closed road areas.
Resolve to be Ready! It is important to recognize that longer, more extreme fire seasons are likely to continue. With most of southern New Mexico already in extreme drought, the 2021 fire season is now upon us. If you haven’t already, now is an excellent time to start learning about living with wildfire and Ready, Set, Go! principles that will help you take steps to protect your home and your family.
Know Before You Go. Although most of the Lincoln National Forest is still open to visitors, the forest, the Mescalero Apache Tribal lands, and surrounding areas are currently under Fire Restrictions. These restrictions help land management agencies reduce fire risk and prevent wildfires during high or extreme fire danger periods. It is crucial for residents and visitors to remain vigilant and be prepared for evacuations if fire behavior increases. See the links below for additional information on Fire Restrictions, Ready, Set, Go!, and additional information about the Three Rivers Fire.
ROAD CLOSURES
• Bonito Canyon Road past the Bonito Lake Dam
• Nogal Canyon Road past the Nogal Peak trailhead
• Three Rivers Trailhead and Campground
• Monjeau Lookout at Sierra Vista
CENTER HOURS: 8 am to 8 pm
Fire Information Public Phone Line: 575-386-5077
Fire Information Media Phone Line: 575-386-5108
Ready Set Go: http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SFD/FireMgt/documents/FINAL-new-mexico-RSG-guide-2017_000.pdf
InciWeb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7440/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThreeRiversFire2021
Lincoln National Forest: https://www.fs.usda.gov/lincoln
Wildfire Smoke and COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/smoke-faq.html
