Firefighters worked through recent wind events to secure fireline above Willow Creek, while aviation resources were grounded during Red Flag conditions because of high winds and unsafe flying conditions.
By Levi Gwaltney
Source: Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team
Photos: Courtesy Gila National Forest/U.S. Forest Service
The lightning-caused Hummingbird Fire continues to burn in the Gila Wilderness east of Glenwood, with the fire estimated at 3,264 acres and 0% containment as of the latest update.
The fire started April 20 and is burning about 15 miles east of Glenwood in steep, rugged terrain. Fire officials reported that the Willow Creek Subdivision remains under Level 3 “GO” evacuation status, meaning residents in that area have been instructed to leave.
Firefighters worked through recent wind events to secure fireline above Willow Creek, while aviation resources were grounded during Red Flag conditions because of high winds and unsafe flying conditions. More recently, aircraft were able to work with ground crews as conditions allowed.
What “Gila Las Cruces Type 3” Means
The fire is being managed by the Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team, led by Incident Commander Marcus Cornwell.
That name does not mean the fire is in Las Cruces. The U.S. Forest Service identified the team as the Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Management Team and said management responsibility for the Hummingbird Fire transferred to that team on April 23.
“Type 3” refers to the level of incident management, not a local evacuation level. According to the National Park Service, Type 3 incidents may involve extended initial attack on wildland fires, multiple resources, command staff positions and operations that extend beyond one operational period.
The official evacuation language for Willow Creek is Level 3 “GO.”
Firefighters Working Through Difficult Conditions
Fire officials said the Hummingbird Fire has been moving through brush, dead and down fuels, and standing dead trees left from previous fires. Earlier updates noted that the fire is burning in an area affected by the 2012 Whitewater-Baldy Fire and that steep terrain, heavy snag loading and long medical extraction times made some direct tactics unsafe.
Crews have been using a combination of direct and indirect tactics while working to protect Willow Creek, Forest Service infrastructure, heritage resources and natural resources.
Smoke may be visible from multiple areas, including Willow Creek, Gila Cliff Dwellings, the Gila Valley, Truth or Consequences and Silver City.
A Temporary Flight Restriction remains in place over the fire area. Officials remind the public that drones are prohibited near the fire: If you fly, firefighters can’t.
How This Compares With Recent New Mexico Fires
At more than 3,000 acres and still uncontained, the Hummingbird Fire is already a significant early-season fire. However, it remains far smaller than New Mexico’s largest fires from last year.
The National Weather Service reported that New Mexico saw 186,544 total acres burned in 2025, including nine fires greater than 1,000 acres; the largest fire that year burned 57,753 acres.
In June 2025, NASA reported that the Buck and Trout fires in southwestern New Mexico had together burned more than 80,000 acres amid extreme drought, high winds, low humidity and dry fuels.
The Hummingbird Fire is not yet in that category by size, but the conditions described by fire officials—wind, low humidity, drought-stressed fuels and difficult terrain—are the same kinds of factors that can allow fires in southwestern New Mexico to grow quickly.
Current Public Information
Fire: Hummingbird Fire
Location: About 15 miles east of Glenwood
Cause: Lightning
Size: Estimated 3,264 acres
Containment: 0%
Evacuation: Willow Creek Subdivision remains Level 3 “GO”
Public information: 2026.hummingbird@firenet.gov
More information: NMFireInfo.com and InciWeb.
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