Ute Park Fire grows to 8,000acres, Town of Cimarron under mandatory evacuation(Boy Scouts evacuated)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | June 1, 2018 | Elise Kaplan and Edmundo Carrillo

[CedarDave]

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Town of Cimarron is under mandatory evacuations as the Ute Park Fire has grown to an estimated 8,000 acres Thursday morning.

Shawn Jeffrey, the Cimarron town clerk administrator, said they began ordering everyone to evacuate around 9 a.m. and Mayor Leo Martinez has declared the town to be in a state of emergency.

Councilor Matthew Gonzales announced the evacuations on a Facebook live video but urged everyone not to panic.

The fire started a little after 2 p.m. Thursday near highway 64 in Ute Park, NM, between Eagle Nest Lake and Cimarron. It spread quickly moving to east, spanning an estimated 8,000 acres overnight and burning 12 unoccupied, non-residential structures at the Philmont Scout Ranch, according to Wendy Mason, the Wildfire Prevention & Communications Coordinator for New Mexico State Forestry.

“That does not mean jump into your car and speed out of town as quickly as possible,” he said. “We’re not in imminent danger. We’re encouraging all members to start packing up their vehicles and heading out of town.”

Jeffrey said the fire is about two miles north of Cimarron, a town of about 1,100. Evacuees have been told to head to the Raton Convention Center.

Evacuees from Philmont Boy Scout Ranch, which is under a voluntary evacuation, should head to the state fair grounds in Springer, Jeffrey said.

[DannyTN]

[CedarDave]

Update 4 p.m.: Ute Park Fire grows to 16,500 acres

The Ute Park Fire in Northern New Mexico has spread quickly, growing to 16,500 acres by Friday afternoon, according to official estimates from authorities, more than doubling since the morning. It is zero percent contained as of 2:20 p.m., according to the Ute Park Fire Info website.

Map of Ute Fire Activity (National Interagency Fire Center)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

This makes me so sad, Dave! So sorry to hear of this. I LOVE the South West in all of Her arid glory and special beauty. :(

‘Cimarron’ has always been one of my favorite names for a town...or a horse...or a dog.

Prayers up! Wish I could share the 10” of rain we’ve had up here in the past month, with you! :)

[GonzoII]

Thanks.