Pecos Wilderness portion closed amid fire

Blaze has burned over 500 acres in rugged area

Santa Fe National Forest officials are closing a large eastern swath of the popular Pecos Wilderness as crews continue to battle the Rincon Fire, which has burned over 500 acres since it was sparked by lightning Friday in rugged terrain in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains north of Pecos.

A Type 2 Incident Management Team took charge of the wildfire Tuesday morning to bring additional resources to the fight.

Burning at an elevation of around 10,000 feet, the blaze presents challenges of steep terrain, limited access and large expanses of dead and dying trees weakened by insect infestations.

Earlier this week, firefighters worked to protect Beatty’s Cabin along the Pecos River — named for a mineral prospector who had built a cabin in the wilderness in the 1800s — and two other Forest Service administrative sites, the agency said in a news release.

Beatty’s Cabin lies in the heart of the area set for closure.

The release said the closure area, which straddles the Pecos River, begins at the Jack’s Creek Trailhead and extends north to Pecos Baldy Lake and the Truchas Lakes, northeast to North Fork Lake, south to the Lone Pine Trailhead, west to the Elk Mountain Trailhead and northwest to the Iron Gate Trailhead.

People are prohibited from entering the area during the closure, which will be in effect from 6 a.m. Wednesday through Dec. 31, unless conditions allow Santa Fe National Forest officials to reopen it earlier. A temporary flight restriction is also in place over the closed area of the Pecos Wilderness, including for drones.

Any violation of the closure could lead to a fine of up to $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations and up to six months in jail.

The Forest Service urged caution to those traveling to the western side of the Pecos Wilderness, which remains open.

Meanwhile, wildfire crews with a Type 3 Incident Management Team are continuing to manage the 1,800-acre Poso Fire near El Rito.

Smoke from that lightning-caused fire, which started May 29, has combined with smoke from other fires in the region to reduce air quality in parts of Northern New Mexico.

The smoke is expected to affect Vallecitos and surrounding communities for several more days, according to a news release.