A wind-stoked wildfire in New Mexico that has burned at least 166 homes has spread to about 152 square miles. Over 1,000 firefighters backed by bulldozers and aircraft are fighting the blaze.
Stewart Turner, a fire behavior analyst with the fire management team, warned of a “very serious week” ahead with the forecasted winds.
The fire’s rapid growth Friday forced crews to repeatedly change positions because of threatening conditions but they managed to immediately re-engage without being forced to retreat, Coil said. No injuries were reported. The fire started April 6 when a prescribed burn set by firefighters to clear out small trees and brush that can fuel fires was declared out of control. That fire then merged with another wildfire a week ago.
Officials have said the fire has destroyed 277 structures, including at least 166 homes. No updated damage assessments were available on Saturday, Romero said.Wildfires were also burning Saturday elsewhere in New Mexico and in Arizona. The fires are burning unusually hot and fast for this time of year, especially in the Southwest, where experts said some timber in the region is drier than kiln-dried wood.
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