Gila National Forest

06/08/2026

🔥 Wildfire update for Sunday, June 7

While last week’s thunderstorms produced tens of thousands of lightning strikes across the forest, only six wildfires have been detected to date.

Four fires are completely out. One is controlled, but crews are still extinguishing a few lingering hotspots. The largest of these five fires was 0.2 acres.

The sixth fire—North Apache—is in the Gila Wilderness approximately 7 miles southeast of Gila Hot Springs. Six rappellers were inserted this morning. Their initial report was that the 1-acre fire was creeping and smoldering in grass, shrubs, timber litter, and standing timber. A helicopter assisted with water drops this afternoon. The rappellers anticipate needing a few days to extinguish the fire.

Additional updates on the North Apache Fire will be provided only if fire behavior significantly increases.

Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in effect (https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/gila/alerts/stage-1-fire-restrictions-begin-march-23-2026)

06/04/2026

06/04/2026

🌄 With right around the corner (Saturday, June 6), there’s no better time to get a refresher on backcountry camp stove safety.

🧹 Remember to clear at least 1 – 2 feet around your stove to help prevent wildfires!

🏕️ We have over 1800 miles of trails on the Gila National Forest, including ~250 miles of the Continental Divide Trail. Get on out and explore - but do so safely!

📽️ Learn how to safely use your camp stove in the backcountry

06/03/2026

Just a reminder to come on out to Lake Roberts this Saturday, June 6 for TWO family-friendly events!

ALDO LEOPOLD KIDS FISHING DERBY
7 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by an awards ceremony

NATIONAL TRAILS DAY VOLUNTEER EVENT
9:30 a.m. to noon

See the original post for full details!

06/01/2026

The Gila National Forest has lifted the closure order in place for the Hummingbird Fire near Willow Creek. Fire suppression actions have reduced threat to public safety in the area. Trails previously closed under the order are now open, including Whitewater Baldy Trail #172. For more information, please visit

Hummingbird Fire Emergency Closure for Public Health and SafetyGlenwood, Reserve, and Wilderness Ranger DistrictsAreas and trails around Willow Creek are closed to the public. See below for more information.Daily Hummingbird Fire updates are posted on Facebook, Inciweb and NM Fire Info.

05/31/2026

🔥 Wildfire update for Saturday, May 30

A human-caused fire started this afternoon at the Little Walnut Disc Course near the Little Walnut Picnic Area (Silver City Ranger District).

With today’s dry, windy conditions, the fire had a lot of potential to get large quickly. But thanks to a very rapid interagency response by Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire and Rescue, Grant County Sheriff’s Office, and Gila National Forest, firefighters stopped the fire's forward progression. They constructed fireline around the fire, applied a lot of water, and contained it at 0.25 acres. Resources have been released from the fire for the evening and will return tomorrow to look for and extinguish any lingering hotspots.

05/30/2026

Hummingbird Fire Update
Final update for the Hummingbird Fire
(Silver City, NM, May 30, 2026) —A four-person wildland-engine crew continues to patrol the Hummingbird Fire. Containment is 90%, and the size remains 5,716 acres. The lightning-caused wildfire is located 15 miles east of Glenwood, NM in the Gila Wilderness.
The uncontained portion of the fire is in the Iron Creek area on the fire’s southern perimeter. The Bearwallow Mountain lookout has a clear view into the Iron Creek drainage; no smoke has been observed in this area for several days, and fire managers do not anticipate that the fire will spread. However, due to the many hazards in the Iron Creek area, including steep and rugged terrain; numerous standing and downed dead trees; and long evacuation times in case of injury, firefighters are utilizing an indirect confinement strategy on this portion of the perimeter. Firefighter and public safety remain the number one objective for the Hummingbird Fire.
A small amount of isolated heat remains in the center of the fire footprint, well within containment lines. The public might observe smoke coming from the fire’s interior as logs and stumps continue to smolder. Should fire activity increase, additional resources are available to assist.
Earlier this week, rain fell over the Hummingbird Fire. Warm temperatures and dry conditions are forecast throughout the weekend with a chance of moisture on Tuesday and Wednesday.
For public health and safety, a reduced area closure for the Hummingbird Fire is in effect. The closure order and map can be viewed on the Gila National Forest website. No flight restrictions or evacuations are in effect. Stage 1 Fire Restrictions remain in place across the Gila National Forest. For more information, please visit the links listed below.

• https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/gila/alerts/hummingbird-fire-forest-closure-and-updates
• https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/gila/alerts/stage-1-fire-restrictions-begin-march-23-2026

About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has, for more than 100 years, brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology — and rooted in communities — the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
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05/30/2026

🔥Wildfire update for Friday, May 29.

The Maverick Fire (0.75 acres, Black Range Ranger District) is 100% contained.

The nine-person engine crew from the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest spent the day mopping up and cold-trailing.

Mop up is the post-containment process of finding and extinguishing all residual heat sources within a designated distance from the fire’s edge or, if the fire is small enough, within the entire fire footprint.

Cold trailing is when a firefighter uses an ungloved hand to carefully feel for heat in the ground, stumps, logs, etc.

The crew will remain on scene, camping nearby at night, until the fire is completely out.

This will be the last update for the Maverick Fire. The other three lightning-caused fires that started this week are out.

05/28/2026

🔥Wildfires update for Thursday, May 28.

The Double Fire (0.1 acres, Gila Wilderness, Wilderness Ranger District) was declared out. The four rappellers hike out and are available for initial attack as needed.

Firefighters held the Maverick Fire (Black Range Ranger District) at 0.75 acres last evening. Today they finished constructing fireline around the fire with hand tools and continued to extinguish burning vegetation, stumps, and logs. A nine-person engine crew replaced the suppression module and will remain on the fire until it is out. The rappellers will spend a second night on scene and be available tomorrow for initial attack as needed.

05/28/2026

⛔ 1.5-mile road closure north of Luna on FR 220 ⛔

Starting June 1, FR 220 will be closed near the Romero Creek bridge from its intersections with FR 4019O to FR 4127U. Work should conclude in early November.

🚗 Access will continue to all private inholdings. Re-routes and detours will be noted at intersections leading to the closure. The public will still be able to access all areas in the vicinity aside from the road closure itself.

Proposed detours for FR 220 between Luna and FR 385:
⬆️ North on County Road B-007, ↖️ northwest on County Road B-080 (becomes FR 385)
⬅️ West on US-180 toward Alpine, ⬆️ north on FR 275, ➡️ east on FR 851 (becomes FR 385)

This bridge over Romero Creek was originally constructed in 1954. Due to the bridge’s advanced age and deteriorated conditions, the bridge will be replaced to meet current safety and flood standards.