Fire near Raton Pass

Open to Traffic I-25 Southbound / Northbound Trinidad CO - Raton NM (Milemarker 11-1)


All lanes open at 4am. Last updated on June 16th, 2011 at 4:00am.

INCIDENT UPDATED 10 HRS. AGO
Approximate Location
36.92 latitude, -104.456 longitude

New Mexico Type II Interagency Incident
Management Team

Fire Information Line: 575-445-5234 staffed 7 AM to 10 PM

Friday, June 17, 2011, 7:00 AM For Immediate Release

Acres: 27,140 Start Date: June 12, 2011

Cause: under investigation Location: North of Raton, NM and South of Trinidad, CO

Containment: 25% Fuels: Timber

Terrain: steep, rugged Resources: 26 crews, 53 engines, 10 water tenders, 8 dozers

Total personnel: 844 Available air support: 7 helicopters

Road Closure Update: I-25 is OPEN. Exit 454 in New Mexico, and Exit 2 in Colorado, will remain closed. Traffic may not stop along the interstate. A 45 mph speed limit will be STRICTLY enforced throughout the area of the interstate impacted by the Track Fire. The public should use extreme caution on the interstate as there will be heavy fire traffic.

Evacuation Update: Evacuation Order remains in effect for Yankee Canyon along Hwy 72 and for the communities from the junction of Hwy 526 and 72 up Sugarite Canyon along 526. Residents along Hwy 72 to the Bear Canyon Road and Pine Forest Estates also remain evacuated. Fire personnel are continuing to reassess these areas for reopening.

Fire Update: Crews will continue mop up operations and securing of control lines on all divisions of the fire. Construction of dozer lines continues to occur on the north and east side of the fire. Construction of fire lines near Hwy 526 east to Horse Mesa in preparation of securing the area for the return of residents to their homes. Although fire activity has lessened in the area, firefighters will focus on keeping fire north of the water plant on the south end of the fire, north of Raton.

Red Flag (hot, dry and windy) conditions today will challenge firefighters along the northern and eastern sides of the fire with predominately southwest winds. Spotting is likely to occur in these areas as winds push the fire toward the north and east. Predicted high winds may limit use of aircraft throughout the day. Smoke should continue to diminish today as the predicted winds from the south west will push the smoke out of the area.

Colfax County has established an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at the Colfax County offices located at 230 North St in Raton.

Total acres burned on the Track Fire are 27,140 with 7,191 acres in Colorado and 19,949 acres in New Mexico. Of the acres burned in New Mexico, 502 acres are on New Mexico Department of State Lands and the remaining 19,949 acres are on private lands.

The NM Incident Management Team is working in conjunction with New Mexico State Forestry and Colorado State Forest Service, Colfax and Las Animas County Sheriff's Departments, New Mexico Livestock Board, New Mexico State Police, the City of Raton, NM Motor Transportation Division of Police, several local fire departments and other agencies from New Mexico and Colorado in suppression efforts of the Track Fire.

ROAD CLOSURES: Old Pass Road is closed from the City Limits to the north at Port of Entry. Highway 526 (Sugarite Road) is closed at the junction of 526 and County Road 72.

For further information on this fire and others, go to [url=http://www.inciweb.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;]http://www.inciweb.org[/url]

Basic Information
Incident Type Wildfire
Cause Unknown/under Investigation
Date of Origin Monday June 27th, 2011 approx. 11:00 AM
Location 1 Mile North of Raton, NM
Incident Commander John Pierson

Current Situation
Total Personnel 888
Size 27,140 acres
Percent Contained 45%
Estimated Containment Date Monday June 27th, 2011 approx. 12:00 AM
Fuels Involved 2 Timber(grass and understory) FM2, grass, timber understory (PJ and PIPO). Also fuel models 9 (timber)and 8(brush, oak).

Fire Behavior North and east flanks remain active. West/southwest isolated low intensity fire.

Significant Events Several spot fires were succesfully suppressed in San Francisco Creek in the morning. Look-outs were posted west of San Francisco Creek. Development of demob plan in process. NM Congressman Lujan visited the fire.

Outlook
Planned Actions Continue mop up along west and south flanks (I-25 and Raton). Hold and and secure south to southwest flank (sugarite Canyon to Yankee Canyon). Construct line, secure and hold along southeast/east flank to Barela Mesa. Secure and hold northeast to north flank, burn out as needed. Post look-outs west on San Francisco Canyon to monitor for spots. Develop demob plan. Assess lifting evacuations in Sugarite Canyon and communities at junction of 526/72.

Growth Potential Extreme

Terrain Difficulty Medium

Remarks Fire is 27,140 acres; 19,949 in NM and 7,191 in CO.. Radio station has provided updates daily regarding the fire. Vehicle accident on 6/16, hit a deer.

Current Weather
Wind Conditions 20 G/35 mph SW
Temperature 84 degrees
Humidity 14%

Track Fire Update 6.19.11
Incident: Track Wildfire
Released: 1:11 hrs. ago

New Mexico Type II Interagency Incident

Management Team

TRACK FIRE UPDATE


Fire Information Line: 575-445-5234 staffed 7 AM to 10 PM


Sunday, June 19, 2011, 9:00 AM For Immediate Release

Acres: 27,792 Start Date: June 12, 2011

Cause: human caused Location: North of Raton, NM and South of Trinidad, CO

Containment: 80% Fuels: Timber

Terrain: steep, rugged Resources: 23 crews, 31 engines, 6 water tenders, 6 dozers

Total personnel: 813 Available air support: 7 helicopters

Evacuation Update: All remaining evacuation orders have been lifted and residents were able to return home without incident. Sugarite Canyon State Park remains closed and Highway 526 is closed at the State Park entrance.

Fire Update: Despite Red Flag conditions yesterday, firefighters were able to make significant progress on constructing and holding fire line, increasing containment to 80 percent. Firefighters focused attention on rehabilitation of bulldozer lines, securing hand lines, and mopping up smoking or burning areas within 200 feet of the edge of the fire. All existing firelines held despite strong winds. Air operations were curtailed when afternoon wind gusts increased.

Today firefighters will continue mopping up along the fire line and rehabilitation of hand and dozer lines.

Rehabilitation consists of removing downed timber and other obstructions that could create post fire safety hazards. Waterbars will be constructed on handlines and dozer lines in order to direct and dissipate future water flows. This effort will prevent erosion and divert runoff from streams. Native seeds were obtained and crews will begin reseeding dozer lines in both New Mexico and Colorado. All fireline rehabilitation efforts will follow New Mexico and Colorado State guidelines.

A Red Flag warning is again in effect for today so crews will be especially watchful for any flare-ups or spot fires.

As fire containment and rehabilitation of dozer and hand line objectives have been met, the size of the fire organization is being reevaluated. The Incident Management Team has started the gradual release of resources to their home unit or reassignment to other fires. Management of the fire will transition two Type III Interagency Incident Management Teams for Colorado and New Mexico on June 22, 2011.

For maps, photos, and further information on this fire, go to [url=http://www.inciweb.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;]http://www.inciweb.org[/url]