Firefighting teams in New Mexico braced on Friday for a mix of relentless winds, near-record high temperatures and low humidity expected to stoke a blaze that has chased thousands from their homes in the mountains and canyons near Santa Fe.
Forecasts called for steady gale-force winds of up to 45 miles per hour to sweep the northern New Mexico fire zone starting Saturday, accompanied by temperatures in the 90s Fahrenheit and single-digit humidity readings.
Residents of another 3,000-plus homes have been advised to be ready to flee on short notice, officials said. He said the worsening weather outlook would pose "some of the harshest firefighting conditions that I've seen." De Fries said the firefighting force of nearly 1,400 personnel was scrambling in advance of the heavy winds to "create stronger, deeper" buffer lines by clearing away unburned vegetation around communities in harm's way.
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