Smoke from the Cook Fire is visible this afternoon from the Los Alamos County Airport. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

STATE News:

LAS VEGAS, NM – As of 6 p.m., the evacuation status of Rayado, Sunny Side, Miami and the Philmont Scout Ranch to the headquarters has been moved to Set!, and the town of Cimarron to Ready! status.

This is necessary due to current fire behavior and predicted weather verified by fire models that show significant potential for fire growth to the north. Residents in Colfax County should sign up now for Code Red, a system that notifies residents of evacuation status. Link to sign up on Colfax County website: https:////www.co.colfax.nm.us/government/emergency_management.php.  

Residents north of Highway 120 and east of County Road 009 remain in Go! status. Residents west of County Road 009 and north of 120 remain in Ready status. Sweet Water remains in Ready! status. Memorial Middle School in Las Vegas, Wagon Mound Public Schools, and Mora Schools are available for evacuees.  

The Mora and Colfax County Sheriff’s Offices are using the Ready! Set! Go! program for evacuation status that provides information on evacuation and evacuation preparation:  

• Ready! = Be Ready! for potential evacuations.
• Set! = Be Set! to evacuate at a moment’s notice.
• Go! = Evacuate now. Leave immediately.

Suppression operations continue and law enforcement will be monitoring New Mexico Highway 120 and NM Hwy 442.

• Location: North of Ocate, NM approximately 46 miles north of Las Vegas, NM
• Cause: Under investigation
• Size Estimate: 21,200 acres
• Percent Contained: 0 percent
• Start date: April 17, 2022
• Fire Behavior and Fuels: The Cooks Peak Fire is actively burning in ponderosa pine, oak brush and grass. The fire is currently running, torching and crowning with short range spotting.
• Values at risk: Multiple communities within Mora and Colfax Counties.
• Weather: A Red Flag warning is in effect until 9:00 p.m. tonight. Critical fire weather conditions are expected to persist through Friday when winds are expected to reach 70 mph.
• Smoke: Smoke from the Cooks Peak Fire will continue to impact the surrounding communities, especially in northeast New Mexico. This includes Ocate, Rayado, Philmont Scout Ranch headquarters, Cimarron, and surrounding communities in Mora County and Colfax County. The New Mexico Department of Health and New Mexico Environment Department will issue Smoke Advisories as needed. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.
• Safety: The health and safety of firefighters and the public are always the first priority. Information on air quality and protecting your health can be found online at the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) website. The Forest Stewards Guild offers a HEPA Filter Loan Program that are available on a first come/first served basis. Additional information on air filters and the HEPA loan program is posted at https:////www.santafefireshed.org/hepa-filter-loan-program#smokeanchor3.

Fire updates will be posted on Inciweb and the New Mexico Fire Information website. Direct questions to the fire information line, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 505.663.6334.