Photos: Gila: Monster Of A Wildfire Still Being Battled In N.M. [PHOTOS]
By J.J. McGrath | Jun 04, 2012 10:50 AM EDT
The biggest wildfire in the history of New Mexico continues to burn, but the ghosts of Mogollon appear safe from having their ectoplasm singed, at least for another tourist season.
The Catron County Sheriff's Office will lift on Monday an evacuation order for the ghost town, which was first listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
As a result, business owners and residents can return to the privately owned ghost town on Monday, while it will again open to the public on Wednesday, according to InciWeb.
The evacuation of Mogollon -- a former mining town founded in the 19th century-- was ordered May 26 because of the high winds fanning the flames of the Whitewater-Baldy Complex Wildfire in Gila National Forest.
Meanwhile, other areas continue to be subject to closure orders in the vicinity of the wildfire, which was only 17 percent contained as of Sunday at 8 a.m. MDT.
Since the wildfire was sparked by lightning on May 16, it has charred more than 241,707 acres. To put this in perspective, 241,707 acres equals 378 square miles. And to put that in perspective, New York's five boroughs cover only 303 square miles.
A total of 1,236 firefighters, 67 engines, 29 water tenders, nine helicopters, and seven bulldozers were involved in battling the massive blaze as of Sunday's count, InciWeb reported.
Below are a dozen images provided by the U.S. Forest Service that set the scene on Saturday, especially in and around Mogollon.
Featured is an aerial view of the Whitewater-Baldy Complex Wildfire in the Gila National Forest of New Mexico on Saturday.
Source: US Forest Service / Gila National Forest Date:06/04/2012
Pictured is an aerial view of the Whitewater-Baldy Complex Wildfire in the Gila National Forest of New Mexico on Saturday.
Source: US Forest Service / Gila National Forest Date:06/04/2012
Shown is an aerial view of the Whitewater-Baldy Complex Wildfire in the Gila National Forest of New Mexico on Saturday.
Source: US Forest Service / Gila National Forest Date:06/04/2012
Capt. Mat Clemins and Capt. Rus Schneider's engine crews from Lincoln National Forest in Ruidoso, N.M., had been fighting the Whitewater-Baldy Complex Wildfire for 19 days, as of Saturday. Their crews helped set up all the structure protection in Mogollon.
Source: US Forest Service / Gila National Forest Date:06/04/2012
Fire crews employed an array of eight portable pumps in Mogollon. Each pump had 1,000-1,500 feet of hose line attached to it.
Source: US Forest Service / Gila National Forest Date:06/04/2012
Every building in Mogollon -- including the Mogollon Historic District Log Cabin dating back to about 1880 -- has between two and eight sprinklers around it for protection.
Source: US Forest Service / Gila National Forest Date:06/04/2012
Portable pumps and port-a-tanks are placed around Mogollon to feed water to the sprinklers on each structure.
Source: US Forest Service / Gila National Forest Date:06/04/2012
Thousands of feet of hose line snake through Mogollon as they connect sprinkler systems to pumps and water sources.
Source: US Forest Service / Gila National Forest Date:06/04/2012
Members of the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew of Prescott National Forest prepare to cut a fire line outside Mogollon.
Source: US Forest Service / Gila National Forest Date:06/04/2012
Members of the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew of Prescott National Forest cut a fire line outside Mogollon.
Source: US Forest Service / Gila National Forest Date:06/04/2012
A sawyer with the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew of Prescott National Forest cuts a fire line outside Mogollon.
Source: US Forest Service / Gila National Forest Date:06/04/2012
A swamper with the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew of Prescott National Forest clears away slash from the fire line outside Mogollon.
Source: US Forest Service / Gila National Forest Date:06/04/2012
