Deming, NM – On July 14th, 2023 a lightning storm caused a wildfire in the Florida Mountains. The Fire is located in extremely rough, rugged terrain. The fire has been monitored daily and firefighters will continually assess the fire's proximity to populated areas.
The Floridas Fire is gradually increasing and is now at 437 acres. The fire worked its way towards the east and into a drainage bottom described by Rick Rios, Incident Commander, as an “open, rocky wash…free of vegetation. The fire basically ran out of fuel which stopped the fire’s spread.” He referred to the wash as a “natural barrier.” The southern edge of the fire slowly burned towards South Peak, a prominent high peak void of fuel, which resulted in another natural barrier that stopped the fire’s spread. The fire behavior of the Floridas Fire is described as “low intensity.”
The Deming area experienced increased smoke and haze. Smoke generally lifts as daytime temperatures rise. Firefighters continually monitor weather conditions throughout the day and night, recognizing that changes in weather can adversely affect their work environment.
For more information on this fire and other fires around the region visit: https://nmfireinfo.com/