Evacuation order lifted for Moser Fire in Lincoln National Forest
Evacuation orders that followed the Moser Fire on May 20 for areas near Cloudcroft were lifted Wednesday.
The Moser fire grew to 145 acres spreading through mixed conifer and fallen debris in the Lincoln National Forest but had been contained to 96 acres by May 22, according to U.S. Forest Service officials.
"Once crews were able to get line around the fire, they were able to ground truth the acreage with GPS, resulting in the lowered acreage," George Ducker from U.S. Forest Service said.
When the fire first began evacuations were followed by a closure of U.S. Highway 82. The highway was once again open on Wednesday.
Although the evacuations have been lifted, residents in the area are on "ready status," so they can evacuate promptly if needed, according to a release by the Lincoln National Forest.
"Containment numbers are expected to increase as fire officials continue securing the fire’s perimeter. Crews have also removed hazardous snags along (U.S. Highway) 82 to help secure the roads and are continuing to monitor the area through the night," fire officials wrote in an update.
The fire began at approximately 3:45 p.m. but officials said the source of its ignition is still unclear. As local officials investigate, smoke may still be visible to drivers and residents in the area.
Ducker said officials will continue to work towards containment as firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service, volunteer fire departments, Bureau of Land Management and state firefighters are on scene. Other resources dedicated to the fire are two dozers, one helicopter and additional aviation resources.
More on the Moser Fire:
New Mexico smoke and fire map
Juan Corral can be reached at JCorral@gannett.com or on twitter at @Juan36Corr.
This article originally appeared on Alamogordo Daily News: Moser Fire near Cloudcroft comes under containment
