Crews announce progress battling small wildfire near historic NM military fort
New Mexico Historic Sites shared this photo of fire damage at an historic associated with Fort Stanton. The 720-acre Camp Fire "nearly destroyed" the 1855 fort beginning Sunday, though crews said they've made progress and stopped the fire's spread. (Photo courtesy NM Historic Sites)
The 720-acre Camp Fire northeast of Ruidoso ignited Sunday near one of the most-intact military forts from the 19th century in the country, but an incident command team said Tuesday that crews are making progress.
The fire damaged three historical structures at Fort Stanton, according to the latest updates, along with one outbuilding. But firefighters said Tuesday they were holding firelines and had fought back a blaze that 'nearly destroyed' the site,'according to the Pecos River Team fighting the fire.
The federal Bureau of Land Management and state of New Mexico manage the historic locale, established in 1855. With 88 buildings on a 240-acre plot, Fort Stanton remains one of the largest historical sites in the state, and once housed tuberculosis patients during the epidemic and became an internment camp for German sailors and Japanese-Americans during World War II.
The fort is now hosting firefighters as they beat back the blaze, which appears to have come within 1,000 feet of some of the main buildings, according to a Source New Mexico analysis of the fire perimeter map last updated late Monday evening.
There was no fire spread overnight, according to the Pecos River Team. The fire is 4% contained. Its cause is still under investigation.
Throughout the day Tuesday, fire crews expect to continue securing the fire perimeter by removing material near control lines, and they'll continue to map the burned area. As a result, acreage may change, according to a news release.
The south edge of the fire, which is the closest edge to the historic site, will be the primary focus for the roughly 150 firefighters who have responded to the blaze. The south edge of the fire perimeter appears to roughly follow Fort Stanton Trail, according to a map of the fire perimeter.
Fort Stanton is closed to the public, as is Rob Jaggers Campground and the Rio Bonito and West Mesa Road dispersed camping areas. Highway 220 is also closed in the Fort Stanton Area.
Various local and federal governments have imposed fire restrictions in the area, including the BLM Roswell District, Lincoln County and the New Mexico Forestry Division. That means all campfires are prohibited, along with smoking outdoors, operating motor vehicles off designated roads and outdoor welding.
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