Nearly 100 firefighters were battling two wildfires Monday near Dulce.
The Knoll 49 and Cedar Springs fires were sparked by dry lightning that struck July 18 around 5 p.m., Dulce Fire Department Assistant Chief Russell Wanoskia said.
“We patrolled the area below the ridge where the fires are, where there are some houses,” Wanoskia said. “The (Knoll 49) fire got within a half mile of the houses there.”
No structures have been damaged and there have been no injuries, Wanoskia and federal Bureau of Indian Affairs Fire Management Officer Carl Romnes said.
Firefighters are trying to completely extinguish both fires, Romnes said.
“The Knoll 49 fire is just outside Dulce and has burned 20 acres,” Romnes said. “Cedar Springs is south of Dulce by about 20 miles. It’s burned 20 acres and is 40 percent contained. We had some rain Sunday night so that’s looking real good. Both fires are in wilderness area.”
No one has to be evacuated from their homes. However, rough, steep terrain could hamper firefighters’ efforts.
“It’s tough country and a long hike in,” Romnes said. “The fires could still get away from us. We have the Mount Taylor Hot Shots and Santa Fe Hot Shots crews on the Cedar Springs fire, and the Carson Hot Shots and Red River Fire Chasers are fighting the Knoll 49 fire with our own local Jicarilla Number One BIA crew.”
A total of 94 firefighters are battling the blazes.
“We have 45 on the Knoll 49 Fire and 45 people on Cedar Springs,” Romnes said. “The crews are doing good work. We had quite an air show Sunday: two heavy air tankers, two single-engine air tankers and a helicopter from Ute Mountain BIA. With all those resources, we slowed both fires to where we can fight them more effectively.”