Firefighters Make Progress On Lincoln Forest Fire

May 19, 2004
Firefighters were making progress Wednesday against a blaze that burned about 100 acres of downed timber and ground cover amid rocks in a Lincoln National Forest canyon.
CAPITAN, N.M. (AP) -- Firefighters were making progress Wednesday against a blaze that burned about 100 acres of downed timber and ground cover amid rocks in a Lincoln National Forest canyon.

The Peppin Fire was triggered Saturday by lightning and flared from about 12 acres Tuesday with help from the wind. Conditions improved Wednesday, allowing crews to attack the flames, said forest spokesman Joe Garcia.

``It's giving the guys a chance to do what they need to do to get it out,'' he said.

The fire was burning about nine miles northeast of Capitan among juniper, pinon and ponderosa pine. It was not threatening any structures.

Two single-engine air tankers and a helicopter were dropping water on the blaze, which was being battled by about 60 firefighters, Garcia said.

Firefighters have contained another fire in the Lincoln.

The Monument Springs Fire, reported Monday three to five miles northeast of Timberon, burned six acres of mixed conifer trees near Cloudcroft. Officials had not determine what started the blaze.

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