Mescalero wildfire contained Crews helped by winter storm

Dianne L Stallings | Ruidoso News

The Whitetail Fire on the Mescalero Apache Reservation near Ruidoso was called 100 percent contained at 4 p.m., Saturday.

Crews of firefighters continued to mop-up the interior of the fire Sunday, and on Monday, fire resources were scheduled to monitor the fire area and continue to rehabilitate the fire containment line created by bulldozers in the initial attack on the fire reported at 8 a.m., Nov. 25.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

By Friday, crews working the Whitetail Fire achieved 95 percent containment of the wind-driven blaze that burned 205 acres about a half mile northwest of the community of Whitetail.

The weekend was spent mopping up and checking for hot spots to ensure no burning stumps reignited the fire, according to information from Erica Enjady, supervisory forester with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Agency, Branch of Forestry

The percentage of containment increased as progress was made securing the fire line on the northern perimeter of the fire that burned in a Ponderosa Pine timber stand. . Although the winter storm that moved into the area over the weekend aided in the control effort, fire officials wanted to ensure the fire was fully contained before they released any additional firefighting resources.