Scene from the Dry Gulch Wildfire this morning in the Pecos Ranger District, south of Dalton Canyon and west of N.M. 63. Courtesy/SFNF

SFNF News:

SANTA FE – Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) fire managers were notified of a new wildfire start, named the Dry Gulch Wildfire, located in the Pecos Ranger District, south of Dalton Canyon and west of N.M. 63 this morning April 26, 2024.

The cause of the wildfire is undetermined, but lightning was confirmed in the area Thursday night and there are no prescribed fire projects near the wildfire start.

Smoke may be visible, and firefighters are focused on actively suppressing the wildfire in the wildland urban interface (WUI). The 4-5-acre wildfire is creeping, meaning it is burning at low intensity with a moderate rate of spread potential.

There are fire resources on scene including the SFNF hotshot crew, Engine 351, Battalion 10-5, the NM State Rio Grande hand crew, and the SFNF interagency helicopter. The helicopter is dropping water on the wildfire to slow fire spread. The helitack crew is utilizing Monastery Lake for water but access remains open to the public.

The fuel types in the area are oak brush, pinyon-juniper, ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir.

According to Forest Service meteorologist Kerry Jones, “A significant change toward much cooler and wetter conditions is expected across much of north-central New Mexico on Saturday lingering into Saturday night. Rain and high elevation snow is likely for a good part of the day Saturday. Daytime highs on Saturday will generally be 10 to 15 degrees below normal. This favorable pattern will not only aid firefighting efforts, but it will temporarily slow snowmelt runoff.”