Hot temps, wind hamper firefighter efforts
Susan Montoya Bryan
ALBUQUERQUE - A blaze burning in central New Mexico outpaced firefighters Thursday as it marched across miles of tinder dry forest, forcing evacuations and destroying structures near the small community of Chilili.
The blaze, named the Dog Head Fire, made a big push overnight, but fire information officers could not immediately say how many structures were lost or whether any were homes since crews have not been able to access and survey the area.
The community was among those in Bernalillo and Torrance counties that were placed under a mandatory evacuation Wednesday night as the flames raced to the northeast.
It wasn't immediately clear how many homes and other structures were threatened by the flames, fire information officer Denise Ottaviano said.
"We have ground crews throughout the perimeter of the fire and out ahead of it," she said. "They're trying to provide some structure protection in certain points that could be threatened."
Close to 700 personnel were assigned to the fire, along with a fleet of air tankers and helicopters.
Despite all the work, there was no containment Thursday afternoon.
Roads remained closed as authorities prepared for the blaze to shift course and possibly head east into previously evacuated areas that are dotted with ranches.
The fire's run late Tuesday and early Thursday followed a hot day in which the blaze tripled in size. By Thursday, it had grown to more than 19 square miles and gave no indication of slowing down as the hot, dry and windy conditions continued.
Forecast maps from the U.S. Forest Service show fire danger in a large swath of the Southwest ranged Thursday from high to extreme, including in New Mexico where the Dog Head Fire was burning.
The fire was first reported at just a few acres Tuesday. The cause remains under investigation.
Gov. Susana Martinez declared a state of emergency hours before residents in Chilili, Mercid, Escobosa and Yrisarri were forced to leave their homes Wednesday. The Ponderosa Pines area was added to the list Thursday.
Martinez directed state agencies to offer all available resources to assist local authorities. She said the first priority is the health and safety of New Mexicans.
"Property can be replaced, but lives cannot," she said. "As our coordinated response to the fire continues, I ask New Mexicans to be mindful of this and to not take unnecessary risks."
The New Mexico Environment Department and state Health Department of Health issued an advisory, warning that smoke from the fire would affect Albuquerque and the surrounding areas as well as other parts of New Mexico, including Santa Fe.