Wildfires Merge, Spread in New Mexico, Arizona as High Winds Beleaguer Fire Crews
00:47 GMT 24.04.2022 (Updated: 19:49 GMT 31.10.2022)
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More than 174 square miles (450 square kilometers) have been burned in Arizona and New Mexico as numerous fires of considerable size destroyed homes and combined to form even larger blazes. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has declared a state of emergency in several counties, including San Miguel and Valencia.
Mandatory evacuations went into effect for Mora, New Mexico, and a host of San Miguel County areas on Saturday, as blazes such as the Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak Fires continued to spread across the state.
Officials in San Miguel County noted that power crews were ordered to de-energize power lines near San Ignacio, Rociada, and Pendaries as the Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak fires combined to burn some 42,341 acres.
Calf Canyon and Hermits Peak fires combine || Structure loss has occurred due to the extreme weather experienced yesterday that caused uncontrolled fire line that impacted communities. Firefighters and law enforcement are gaining access to the areas that are safe to do so. Damage assessments will be ongoing and when the information is gathered, residents will be contacted by the county.
For safety reasons, power has been proactively shut off in Pendaries, County Road A-3A, Rociada, Manelitas and Canoncito. There are several road closures, including Highway 518 from Sapello north to Buena Vista. The safety of firefighters and the public remains the number one priority.
Meanwhile, some 48,672 acres were burned by the Cooks Peak Fire, which grew immensely due to high winds in Mora County. Evacuations have been ordered for several Mora County areas.
New Start: This Fire is South of the Cooks Peak Fire on Halls Peak in New Mexico. The winds are still very strong and erratic. Very active Fire behavior.
— TheHotshotWakeUp (@HotshotWake) April 23, 2022
🎥:oofvfd #wildfire #firefighter #fire #cookspeakfire #hotshots #weather pic.twitter.com/mU0dM6Qg3u
Zero percent of the blaze had been contained as of Saturday morning, per fire officials. The eastern side of the fire, near the Colfax County line, is considered to be the most active.
Erratic, high winds were expected to complicate the situation, prompting “active fire moving in multiple directions,” officials noted. Gusts were estimated to exceed 40 miles per hour (64 kilometers per hour).
The New Mexico wildfires come amid nearly a dozen large and uncontained wildfires plaguing areas from Arizona to the Texas Panhandle. The current drought conditions of the Southwest and southern Plains may fuel the spread of fires, as well as additional wildfire outbreaks.
In the state of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, the strongest forest fires. USA#wildfire #Wildfires #bushfires #fire #fires #Incendio #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #weather #Climat pic.twitter.com/606Wdzzzla
— NEWS/INCIDENTS (@Brave_spirit81) April 23, 2022
Saturday afternoon, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced emergency declarations for the counties of Colfax, Lincoln, Mora, San Miguel and Valencia.
The move releases $3 million to the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to assist with emergency measures, the prevention of further damages, and infrastructure repairs. It also activates the state’s National Guard.
“These emergency declarations will deliver critical funding for communities battling and recovering from wildfires across New Mexico,” Lujan Grisham said. “The state is actively partnering with counties and municipalities to assist New Mexicans affected by wildfires every step of the way. I am keeping the firefighters working all across the state in my prayers, as well as the families affected by these fires.”
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey declared a state of emergency earlier this week due to the “fast-growing” Tunnel Fire, which began on April 17. The blaze has stretched some 21,164 acres and 3% has been contained, as of Saturday morning.
High winds have also been identified as an issue plaguing crews attempting to contain the Crooks Fire, some 10 miles south of the Prescott-Bradshaw Ranger District in Arizona. Officials observed that the 2,804-acre blaze showed little growth on Saturday, but crews have only been able to contain some 5% of the fire.
