Emergency declaration for multiple wildfires in New Mexico

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed emergency declarations as 20 wildfires continued to burn Sunday in nearly half of the state’s drought-stricken 33 counties.

One wildfire in northern New Mexico that started April 6 merged with a newer fire Saturday to form the largest blaze in the state, leading to widespread evacuations in Mora and San Miguel counties. That fire was at 84 square miles (217 square kilometers) Sunday and 12% contained.

An uncontained wind-driven wildfire in northern New Mexico that began April 17 had charred 81 square miles (209 square kilometers) of ponderosa pine, oak brush and grass by Sunday morning north of Ocate, an unincorporated community in Mora County.

Meanwhile in Arizona, some residents forced to evacuate due to a wildfire near Flagstaff were allowed to return home Sunday morning.



San Miguel County Sheriff's Officers patrol N.M. 94 near Penasco Blanco, N.M. as the Calf Fire burns near by Friday, April 22, 2022. Destructive Southwest fires have burned dozens of homes in northern Arizona and put numerous small villages in New Mexico in the path of danger, as wind-fueled flames chewed up wide swaths of tinder dry forest and grassland and towering plumes of smoke filled the sky. (Eddie Moore/The Albuquerque Journal via AP)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-environment-new-mexico-arizona-evacuations-cfd7e79e80c6e9f37c9c21a0297ca529

[Warpy]

1. Every now and then I can smell it here in the big city

even with my windows and doors shut tight.

The season started early and with a bang, the winter was so terribly dry. There have been deaths.

Dry lightning fires don't even typicall start until the end of next month. These are being started by small sparks whipped into big fires by strong winds and drought.

[DENVERPOPS]

2. Regretfully,

coming soon to Colorado........... Dryest, hottest, and windiest ever.............and it's only April...........

[Warpy]

3. I know, your fire season is expanding

and so it seems ours is, also.

This winter was one of the driest I can remember. Ski areas were really hurting. Now farmers downstream will feel the pain because there's no snowpack to speak of.

[Dorn]

4. Fire's do seem to be getting earlier

I use https://fire.airnow.gov/ to get maps with the current conditions. The amazing thing is the size of the smoke plumes, the fires in New Mexico have almost reached Chicago.