Timberon Oakmont Fire Saturday 5 pm Update, Fire Downgraded to 65 Acres, Homeowners Return Home

The US Forestry Division as of 5 pm 5-4-24, reports that the Timberon New Mexico Oakmont Fire is 30% contained and downgraded the impact to 65 acres. 

As Timberon home owners return home several issue their praises to fire professionals and the community for coming together and making everyone safe complimenting individuals in person and via social media. 

Shayla Sterbenz said; “being able to come back home today was so surreal. Thankful to have a home to come back to, thankful for the hotels that offered rooms, and for this amazing community coming together the way they did.  We’re new here and I am constantly amazed at how generous and thoughtful y’all are. Thank you all for everything! So happy to be here and counting many blessing today  Now we pray for rain! Amen!”

Debbie Palmer of Timberon said, ”We (my family and I) thank EVERYONE who worked so hard to stop this fire. From the Pilots in the air to the those who fought it on the ground , thank you one and all for your hard work on this.”

The community came together with hotels making available accommodations, in Timberon Connie’s Corner Deli ensured that the firefighters were fed

Per the Forestry Service, containment lines on the Oakmont fire held throughout the day, despite high wind gusts, hot temperatures and low relative humidity. As of 5 p.m. the fire’s containment is 30%. Total fire acreage has been downgraded to 65 acres, following a re-walk of the fire's perimeter. Bulldozers are continuing to strengthen the containment lines and hand crews and engine crews are mopping up, which means they are working to extinguish the last of the heat in the interior. The Smokey Bear Hotshot crew will demobilize at end of today's shift; Sacramento Hotshots will remain staffed through the evening. This will be the last notification today unless there are significant changes.

The Oakmont Fire was discovered at 12:28 p.m., Friday, May 3, 2024; it is located in Timberon, NM. The fire is burning in a mixture of pinon, juniper and pine fuels within a populated neighborhood. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The total resources were 130 total personnel are responding, including Forestry Division, Rio Grande Type 2IA engines; the US Forest Service; Timberon FD; Smokey Bear and Sacramento IHC Hotshot Crews. No aircraft were needed for today’s actions.

Currently, as of 5 pm  the temperature was 86 degrees with winds from the southwest at 17 mph; gusts up to 29 mph. Relative humidity is 6%. A Red Flag Warning and a Fire Weather Watch are both in effect until 9 p.m. today for the area. This evening’s low will be around 40 degrees. Southwest winds will become east/northeast 8-17 mph. Tomorrow’s high near 72; east wind 8-13 mph becoming southwest 18-23 mph in the afternoon.

Evacuations/ Closures are over as Otero County lifted their mandatory evacuation order at 12 p.m. today. Road closures put into effect last night in the area will also be lifted. Residents should take precautions near the fire area.

Crews continue to actively work to ensure containment and cooling any potential hotspots to ensure the winds don’t reignite containment. The Forestry Service will release a further update soon and 2nd Life Media Alamogordo Town News andKALHRadio.org along with partnered news sources will be there. Information and updates can also be found to follow fires in New Mexico on InciWeb, New Mexico Fire Information and New Mexico Forestry Division’s X account and Facebook. Fires can also be viewed through the New Mexico Forest & Watershed Institute’s Fire Viewer.

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