Silver Fire now 11,500 acres and growing, still zero percent contained
Silver City, New Mexico — The Silver Fire in the Black Range was reported at 11,500 acres Wednesday and is still growing, but stopped on its own a quarter mile from the town of Kingston, public information officer Andrew Loescher with the Gila National Forest said Wednesday.
The lightning-caused fire started last Friday and continues to grow in nearly all directions. Night-time winds pushed the fire toward Kingston and firefighters worked through the night Tuesday night to protect the town, which remains under a mandatory evacuation order. The 29 residents of the town have found refuge with family and friends, Loescher said, and an evacuation center has been set up in the Hillsboro Community Center on Elenora Street, which is also serving as a community kitchen where area residents are making meals for the local firefighters who are helping to battle the blaze and evacuees from Kingston if they wish.
Highway 152 remains closed from San Lorenzo to Hillsboro for both eastbound and westbound traffic from 35 miles east of Bayard at mile marker 16 to 10 miles west of Hillsboro at mile marker 40. The Aldo Leopold Wilderness Area has also been closed east of Highway 150 from the Continental Divide Trail 74 south to Reeds Peak.
The fire is being managed by Type 2 Northern Arizona Incident Management Team Commander Matt Reidy, who told firefighters and crews to look for the most effective places to engage the fire with the greatest possibility of success. Reidy reminded the crews that this fire is especially dangerous because it has been more than 100 years since there has been a fire in that area and the forest is extremely dense.
More at http://www.lcsun-news.com/las_cruces-news/ci_23447472/silver-fire-now-11-500-acres-and-growing .
= new reply since forum marked as read
