July 10, 2026
Steady Progress Continues on Sacaton Fire
Map below
Acres: 9,675 Start Date: June 21, 2026
Location: 15 miles east of Glenwood, NM
Personnel: 165
Containment: 35% Cause: Lightning
Summary: On Thursday, a Type 1 helicopter conducted bucket drops on the northern portion of the fire. Light precipitation occurred over the incident, though not as much as in previous days. Preparation work continued along Bearwallow Road, and snagging operations were completed up to the Bearwallow Lookout. Several heat pockets were observed near Black Mountain and the Turkey Feather Fire footprint.
Today, crews continue preparation work along Bearwallow Road, removing vegetation to support future fire holding operations if necessary. A dozer will continue to improve the 119 Road, removing hazards to enhance access. The structure protection group will remove accumulated slash and logs in the Willow Creek area to reduce flooding risk. The initial attack firefighters remain available to respond to new fire starts and support local districts as needed.
Weather: Conditions will be drier today as precipitation chances decrease. On Friday and Saturday, rain becomes much less likely as northwest winds shift deeper moisture south, bringing drier air into the fire area.
Safety: A Temporary Flight Restriction is in place over the Sacaton Fire. If you fly, we can't!
Closures: Ensure you have the most current order by checking the forest's alerts webpage: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/gila/alerts. Bursum Road/NM-159 is currently closed east of Mogollon to Willow Creek.
Evacuations: Catron County Sheriff's Office is implementing the Ready, Set, Go! method. The community of Willow Creek is in a GO! evacuation status due to the proximity of the Sacaton Fire. Residents in GO! should leave immediately. For more information evacuation statuses, monitor Catron County Emergency Management on Facebook and sign up for Catron County emergency notifications at catroncounty.us.
Smoke: Smoke is visible from surrounding communities. Air quality will vary based on fire activity, weather, and wind patterns. Residents should reduce prolonged outdoor activity when smoke is present and check the Air Quality Index before recreating or working outdoors. Sensitive groups should take extra precautions to limit smoke exposure. For real-time smoke conditions, visit fire.airnow.gov.
Fire Restrictions: The Gila National Forest is in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions due to long term severe drought in the Gila region, increased tree mortality across the forest, and forecasted hotter, drier weather conditions. Stage 1 Fire Restrictions limit campfires on forest land to designated recreation sites and campgrounds with constructed metal fire rings. Open burning is also prohibited in the unincorporated area of Catron County and Catron County Fire District 30.
For more information:
Public Information Officer:
Incident Information: inciweb.wildfire.gov/nmgnf-sacaton-fire
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GilaNForest
Photos and Article by Mary Alice Murphy
Silver City Jacob Bennett Chapter Regent Lucy Whitmarsh served as Master of Ceremonies.
She welcomed everyone to the "our Liberty Tree dedication, commemorating America's 250th presented by our DAR chapter in partnership with the Silver City Rotary Club."
Whitmarsh invited whose who ere able to stand for the invocation, pledge of allegiance, American Declaration of Independence, and our national anthem.
HIGH WIND WEATHER ADVISORY:
High wind warning in Hildago and Luna Counties, visibility is low in areas due to blowing dust. High profile vehicles please use caution. The NMDOT will continue monitoring the roadway. This event will be updated as conditions change.
I 10 eastbound and westbound lanes from mile marker 5 (Steins) to 15 (Gary) are now open. Removed from NM Roads.
ROAD ADVISORY
ALERT- Lordsburg Playa Area
Difficult Driving Conditions, I 10 eastbound and westbound lanes from mile marker 5 (Steins) to 15 (Gary) will have officers slow rolling traffic due to dust and low visibility.
[Editor's Note: This seems to happen every afternoon, so maybe all you folks driving around in the afternoons need to be aware of it happening and perhaps stay home or remember to be cautious. We may not post these every day. Just expect that it will be windy and dangerous in the afternoons. And realize that that officers may slow roll the traffic.]
Southwest Desert/Lower Gila River Valley-Lowlands of the Bootheel-
Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin-
Including the cities of Antelope Wells, Red Rock, Animas,
Hachita, Columbus, Virden, Lordsburg, and Deming
307 PM MDT Thu Jul 9 2026
...BLOWING DUST ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM MDT THIS EVENING...
* WHAT...Visibility between one-quarter and one mile in blowing dust
possible.
* WHERE...Southwestern New Mexico lowlands.
* WHEN...From 4 PM to 7 PM MDT this evening.
* IMPACTS...Hazardous driving conditions due to reduced visibility.
By Roger Lanse
Sunday morning, July 5, 2026, a Silver City Fire Department crew was cleaning up the area behind the Grant County Administration Building where the town's July 4th fireworks show was displayed the evening before. According to SCFD personnel, the spent fireworks were gathered, following the show, and placed in water to be disposed of the next morning after they had soaked overnight.
As crew members were picking up the soaked ordinance Sunday morning, a 'spent' mortar suddenly exploded close to SCFD Chief Milo Lambert, injuring him severely. He was rushed to Whiskey Creek Airport where a medical helicopter transported him to an El Paso hospital.
July 9, 2026
Containment Increases on Sacaton Fire
Acres: 9,675 Start Date: June 21, 2026
Location: 15 miles east of Glenwood, NM Personnel: 167
Containment: 23% Cause: Lightning
Summary: On Wednesday, wetting rain significantly moderated fire behavior along the northern edge, helping improve containment on the northeast perimeter. A pocket of heat on the southwest side near Black Mountain increased the fire acreage by approximately 85 acres. Crews also continued hazard tree and snag removal along Bearwallow Road to improve safety and access.
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