UPDATE: Bosque fire ignites in Casa Colorada

UPDATE from New Mexico Forestry Division, 10:45 a.m., Wednesday, March 25:

Fire suppression crews worked throughout the night to continue establishing containment lines on the Unified Fire in the Casa Colorada area, which is still active within the bosque area south of Rio Communities.

At 7 a.m., Wednesday, March 25, command of the fire transitioned to a Type-3 Team led by New Mexico Forestry Division.

• No structures have been impacted by the fire.

• Evacuations and road closures have been lifted across the area and power has been re-energized.

• The fire is approximately 500 acres and is percent contained.

The Unified Fire held within its initial control lines from last night’s operational shift. Late afternoon winds caused spotting across the river and increased the fire’s perimeter. Night operations included using dozers and hand crews to establish line along the fire’s edges. Fire behavior this morning is creeping and smoldering and fire activity will be expected to increase as the day’s temperature warms.

The fire is divided into four divisions and a structure protection initial attack group. Hand crews, engines and water suppression resources will continue to employ full suppression actions today, including direct and indirect tactics. Today, they will work to hold and improve containment lines, while also searching for spot fires.

Evacuations were lifted and power restored in the area Tuesday night, and all roads remain open. Power may be de-energized today by PNM at the request of fire officials for the safety of response personnel and the public.

No structures have been impacted by the fire, although structures are still threatened. The public is encouraged to avoid the bosque and surrounding area so that first responders can continue engaging the fire.

The Unified Fire was discovered at 10:49 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24, near Madrone, east of Interstate 25 and south of Rio Communities in Valencia County. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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CASA COLORADA — As black-and-white smoke billowed over southern Valencia County on Tuesday, and the burning red embers seen scorching the river’s forest over night, the Unified Fire has burned more than 500 acres.

Hundreds of firefighters have been on the ground working to contain a fire that began near the bosque Tuesday morning.

Valencia County Fire Chief Matt Propp said a during briefing Tuesday afternoon when the fire was only 125 acres at the time that while there was zero percent containment, wildland fire crews were making progress in keeping the flames from spreading.

Firefighters were alerted of the fire just after 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, and Rio Communities firefighters were first on scene. Propp said they located a fast-moving fire adjacent to the bosque.

“They requested additional resources from Valencia County Fire and with our wildland team, we deployed to the incident,” Propp said.

The fire was holding onto an area west of N.M. 304 and the Rio Grande near Madrone Flyway, but late afternoon, early evening winds took the fire west across the river and north, toward critical infrastructure.

According to the latest update from the Valencia County Fire Department there are three wildland divisions working the fire, and one structural protection division. N.M. State Forestry has assumed command of the fire Wednesday morning.

No homes our outbuildings have burned, but PNM had to cut distribution lines that were affected by fire. There are about 265 homes without power. Residents who don’t have electricity and need to plug in medical equipment or are in need of a cooling station, the Belen Recreation Center on Eagle Lane is available.

“The fast-moving fire then got into the bosque and we deployed crews to attack the fire,” Propp said. “We have agencies from across the state to assist us.”

Residents on Lagrima Road, Madrone Flyway and Rio Grande Stables Way were asked to evacuate, but not due to homes being threatened by the flames.

“The reason was so we could get engines in there and we wouldn’t be able to get them out,” he said. “So for the safety of our personnel, we needed to evacuate.”

As the smoke infiltrated the cottonwood and salt cedar trees behind him during the press briefing, Propp said he didn’t anticipate any structures being threatened.

“Crews are anchoring the fire. We have bulldozers working on the north and south sides of the fire. We’re hoping to cut containment lines that should hold,” he said. “Hopefully the winds will remain relatively calm.”

Propp said he anticipates the fire to continue over the next few days because of the size, complexity and the heavy fuel load in the area.

“Crews have done a good job cutting the containment lines on the ground to slow the progress of the fire.”

Fire crews were also on hand to protect critical infrastructure to the north of the fire, which was named the Unified Fire, including a large natural gas pipeline, fiber optics and a BNSF railroad bridge.

Under N.M. State Forestry, Valencia County is working with a cooperator agreement, the resource mobilization plan where fire crews from towns such as Bernalillo, Cochiti, Rio Rancho, Los Lunas, Peralta, Socorro and Albuquerque arrive on scene to help.

Propp said Tuesday they were working two areas of fire, a smaller one in the bosque and a larger fire on the edge of the river’s forest.

“What we did see early on was spot fires — caused by embers — ahead of the fire, so we were seeing four separate fires at one time,” Propp explained. “Those fires all combined at one point and that’s what we’re working.”

At this point, the cause of the fire has not been determined, but Propp said because there was no weather activity in the area, he believes it to be human caused. He explained they won’t be able to determine the exact cause until they begin the investigation once the fire is contained.

Mid-morning on Wednesday, March 25, the Valencia County Fire Department posted on its Facebook page it was assisting the Los Lunas Fire Department with a small fire in the bosque on the southwest side of the river bridge on Main Street/N.M. 6.

VCFD reported the fire was contained at that time, and crews were mopping up hot spots. Smoke is visible from the roadway, but the incident is under control.