Update 1 | Tuesday, April 12, 2022
The BIG HOLE FIRE is located on Belen Bosque north of River Road in Belen (Valencia County), New Mexico, which was discovered on Monday, April 11, 2022, at 1330 hours MT.
NM Forestry, BLM and, the Valencia County FD are in Unified Command overseeing approximately 100 firefighters. They are all also working Incident Cooperators, which include: Forestry Division, Valencia County FD, BLM, Albuquerque Fire Rescue, Rio Rancho FD, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department Metro 1 copter and. the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District.
The cause is unknown and under investigation.
About 850 acres of bosque have been burned but firefighters still have a zero containment status. However, fire officials are reporting resources are making good progress last night due to securing lines.
Officials say the fire is burning on both sides of the Rio Grande and dozers are being used to create a fire break between the fire and homes, to protect the remaining 200 structures in the area.
(Info via the Valencia FD Facebook Page – Evacuations are voluntary, orders have been lifted as of 4/13/2022 at 1000 hours.)
EVACUATION SHELTER –> BELEN REC CENTER, 305 EAGLE LANE.
SMALL PET SHELTER –> Valencia County Animal Shelter, Phone: 505-866-2479.
Assigned to this incident is a Type 1 helicopter (arrived this afternoon) which was tasked with water drops, dozers.
The preliminary damage assessment remains at 1 home and 18 outbuildings as lost. About 75% of the Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area (WWCA) has also been impacted. The building on the property has been saved.
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