CROOKED CREEK COMPLEX FIRE – Fire Update 5/7/11

Blowing dust reduces visibility across Artesia Friday afternoon following a brief sprinkling of rain. Calls across the scanner concerning a fire west of town transformed into zero visibility warnings, first at 26th and Main Streets then at 20th and Main Streets, as the dust cloud traveled east. (Tyler Green - Daily Press)

CROOKED CREEK COMPLEX FIRE – Fire Update 5/7/11

Posted on May 7, 2011 by joelarn

Acres: estimated at 10,000                             Start Date:  April 24^th 2011

Cause:  Lightning                                            Location:  15 miles northwest of Hope, NM

Containment: 0 percent                                   Fuels:  Brush and grass

Terrain:  Steep and Rocky                              Resources:  3 crews, 13 engines, 2 water tenders

Total personnel: 150                                        Structures: No Structures threatened/No Evacuations

The Pecos Zone Type III Incident Management Team (Tudor IC) took over management of the Crooked Creek Complex as of 10:00 a.m. on 5/7/2011. Additional resources have been ordered and will be assigned to the fire as they arrive. The Crooked Creek Incident Command Post (ICP) has been set up at the Hope Volunteer Fire Station on US Highway 82 in Hope, NM.

Summary: The Crooked Creek Complex consists of three fires that are believed to be caused by lightning. The fires were originally known as the 3000 acre Crooked Creek Fire and the 7000 acre Felix Fire. A third 30 acre fire that was not named is also included in the Crooked Creek Complex.

Yesterday and overnight initial attack crews made some progress on securing the fire lines using engines, hand crews and air tankers. Today’s plan is to use hand crews, engines and air tankers to continue securing the fire line.

The Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction!