NEWS
Assisted by rainfall, wildland crews begin mop up and repair work on Sago Fire near Mescalero
Containment at 53% amid mix of precipitation and high winds Wednesday and Thursday
Wednesday morning鈥檚 briefing for the 282-acre Sago Fire on the Mescalero Apache Reservation began with a song, according to .
Horace Comanche, the first Apache smokejumper, an engine boss and a tribal elder, honored firefighters past and present as wildland crews made progress mid-week on the Sago Fire, which was 53% contained as of Wednesday morning.
The multiagency firefighting team was slightly reduced in number from over 100 earlier this week as 95 personnel resumed the seventh day of operations fighting the blaze, which was reported the afternoon of March 26. The cause remains under investigation.
Assisted by rain that fell across much of New Mexico on Wednesday, wildland firefighters extinguished hot spots and were beginning repair work in the area of the fire, near the tribe鈥檚 Cow Camp Facilities horse and cattle grazing lands.
Wednesday鈥檚 forecast showed a mix of weather conditions in the area, according to the National Weather Service, which pegged the chance of precipitation at 40% alongside southwest wind gusts up to 40 mph. Rainfall may continue Thursday.
The weather service appeared to ease warnings of possible red flag conditions posted earlier in the week, but conditions could change.
Nmfireinfo.com also reported that the tribe was planning to proceed with a Mescalero Apache Tribe Blessing Run on Wednesday. The Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team would reduce fire traffic as needed to support runners in the area.
In other wildfire news, the New Mexico Forestry Division reported 60% containment 鈥� or the building of control line to halt fire spread 鈥� around the 58-acre Perch Fire southeast of Santa Rosa. Evacuation GO notices were lifted in the area.
The Forest Service also announced Wednesday that Stage 1 fire restrictions would go into effect Thursday in Santa Fe National Forest, where wildland crews contained an 18-acre blaze on March 24.
New Mexico remains extremely dry following a lack of snowfall this winter, keeping land managers on high alert.
John Miller is the 近距离内射合集鈥檚 northern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at jmiller@abqjournal.com.
