Sandoval County declares emergency as McCauley Springs Fire escalates

Sandoval County commissioners unanimously approved a state of emergency for the McCauley Springs Fire on June 24, giving the county a faster path to request outside help and tap emergency funds for fire costs and damage as evacuations and closures spread through the Jemez Mountains. The move came as the fire pushed Sierra de los Pinos into “Go” status, forced evacuations at Jemez Falls Campground, and shut down Battleship Campground and Trail #137 to Battleship Rock.

The fire was detected Wednesday morning, June 24, on the Jemez Ranger District east of Battleship Rock and was about 30 acres at first report. By that evening it had grown to 150 acres and remained 0% contained, with the Northern New Mexico Type 3 Incident Management Team, led by Incident Commander Luke McLarty, taking command. The agency later ordered a Complex Incident Management Team to take over operations as the fire continued to spread.

The growth continued into the next day, when the fire reached 327 acres and still had no containment. U.S. Forest Service updates put the blaze at 716 acres and 25% contained by June 28, and at 716 acres and 33% contained by June 29. The fire had a high potential for spread and was being fully suppressed.

Sandoval County issued its own emergency wildfire evacuation order for the Sierra De Los Pinos Area, Bennett Lane and Redondo Campground, widening the impact zone beyond the first evacuation area. A community meeting was scheduled for Sunday, June 28, at 6 p.m. at Jemez Springs Community Park so residents and evacuees could get updates as crews worked the fire and monitored containment lines.

Sandoval County Fire & Rescue operates through 8 fire districts, 20 stations and about 280 career and volunteer firefighters and paramedics, while Sandoval County Emergency Management supervises and activates the Emergency Operations Center during large incidents and manages grants for responder training and equipment.