New Mexico fires
Crews fighting two large uncontained wildfires in New Mexico focused Sunday on building protection lines around the blazes amid anticipation that a forecast of storms could bring moisture to help reduce the intensity of the fires.
Still, the forecast thunderstorms also bring the possibility of lightning that could start new fires and gusty winds that could help spread the blazes.
A fire burning in New Mexico’s Santa Fe National Forest 25 miles from Santa Fe had grown to more than 11 square miles by Sunday morning. The fire near the communities of Pecos and Tres Lagunas had prompted the evacuations of about 140 homes, most of them summer residences.
Another blaze, the Thompson Ridge fire near Jemez Springs, grew to nearly 3 square miles by Sunday morning. Forty to 50 homes in the area were evacuated.
Associated Press
A fire burning at the edge of two foothill communities north of Los Angeles destroyed at least five structures and threatened hundreds of others after exploding in size Sunday.
Erratic wind fanned the blaze in the Angeles National Forest to nearly 41 square miles overnight, after fast-moving flames triggered the evacuation of nearly 1,000 homes in Lake Hughes and Lake Elizabeth, officials said.
Authorities knew of five structures that burned but there could be more, according to Matt Corelli of the U.S. Forest Service. He said the charred structures could be homes, but crews were waiting to make a positive determination.
“It’s difficult for our damage assessment teams to get in there with the fire as hot as it is,” he said.
At least 10 other structures were damaged in the communities nestled in canyons at the western edge of the Antelope Valley.
The fire, which chewed thick brush that hadn’t burned in about a dozen years, was 20 percent contained.
Patty Robitaille, 61, grabbed personal photos and documents before fleeing her Lake Hughes home with her pit bull, Roxie, as flames approached Saturday night. She said her property was in the direct path of the fire.
“Driving away, you could see the town burning up,” she told the Los Angeles Times. “I don’t think there’s going to be much left.”
Crews working in steep terrain welcomed cooler weather Sunday after triple-digit temperatures a day earlier. More than 2,100 firefighters on the ground received help from water-dropping aircraft.
The wind pushed the fire up and down steep slopes, creating embers that sparked spot fires in different directions.
“It’s overwhelming. I’ve been up here over 30 years. This ain’t my first fire, but it’s the worst that I’ve seen,” Lake Hughes resident John Baldyga told KCAL-TV.
The Red Cross opened evacuation centers in nearby Palmdale and Lancaster. Residents evacuating large animals were directed to the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds. Small animals were being taken to the Lancaster or Castaic animal shelters.
A huge plume of smoke could be seen from much of various parts of northern Los Angeles County, and air-quality officials warned against strenuous outdoor activity.
The blaze broke out Thursday just north of Powerhouse No. 1, a hydroelectric plant near the Los Angeles Aqueduct, forcing about 200 evacuations in the mountain community of Green Valley. Several power lines were downed by the flames.
The wilderness area is a draw for boaters, campers and hikers. Crews and residents were being warned to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes and bears that could be displaced by flames, Corelli said.
Evacuations remained in effect for several campgrounds and two youth probation camps. Several roads were closed.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
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