Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued emergency declarations as 20 wildfires burned in nearly half of New Mexico’s drought-stricken 33 counties on Sunday.
A wildfire that erupted on April 6 in northern New Mexico fused with a newer fire on Saturday. It has become the state’s largest blaze. Thereby, prompting major evacuations in Mora and San Miguel counties. On Sunday, the fire had grown to 84 square miles (217 square kilometers) and was just 12% contained.
By Sunday morning north of Ocate, an unincorporated settlement in Mora County, an uncontained wind-driven wildfire that erupted on April 17 had scorched 81 square miles (209 square kilometers) of ponderosa pine, oak scrub, and grass.
Meanwhile, several Arizona residents who were forced to flee their homes due to a wildfire near Flagstaff were allowed to return home early Sunday morning.
Destruction
Winds and temperatures in New Mexico decreased on Saturday, but they were still strong enough to keep flames burning. Hundreds of evacuation orders were still in effect.
The northern flames were likely to slow off Sunday as cloud and smoke cover moves in. Thereby, helping the trees to retain more moisture. However, they warned that the fires interiors could exhibit moderate to extreme activity. Thus, posing a threat to properties in those locations.
Wildfires have destroyed more than 200 structures so far. Another 900 are in danger, according to Lujan Grisham.
Officials of the fire department stated the exact damage count is still unknown. It’s too unsafe for firefighters to walk inside and inspect all of the homes that were prey to destruction.
“We do not know the magnitude of the structure loss. We don’t even know the areas where most homes made it through the fire, where homes haven’t been damaged or anything like that,” said operation sections chief Jayson Coil.
A total of 1,000 firefighters were battling wildfires across New Mexico. It has already received $3 million in assistance to help combat the blazes.
Lujan Grisham said she has requested more federal resources from the White House. She is advocating for a statewide fireworks ban.
“We need more federal bodies for firefighting, fire mitigation, public safety support on the ground in New Mexico,” she said. “It’s going to be a tough summer. So that’s why we are banning fires. And that is why on Monday I will be asking every local government to be thinking about ways to ban the sales of fireworks.”
Wildfires in New Mexico and Arizona under investigation
According to scientists, wildfire has become a year-round threat in the West. It is a result of shifting conditions such as earlier snowmelt and rain arriving later in the fall. Decades of fire suppression, bad management, and more than 20-year megadrought linked to human-caused climate change, have compounded the difficulties.
Two major flames raged 10 miles (16 km) south of Prescott and 14 miles (22 km) northeast of Flagstaff in Arizona on Sunday.
Fire control experts determined the Flagstaff-area wildfire no longer posed a threat. After that, Coconino County authorities canceled the evacuation order for homeowners living in neighborhoods along Highway 89 on Sunday morning.
As of Sunday, the fire near Flagstaff had grown to 33 square miles (85 square kilometers), with only 3% control. Since it began a week ago, it has caused the evacuation of 766 homes. It had also burned down 30 homes and two dozen other structures, according to county officials.
Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona issued a state of emergency for Coconino County on Friday. It was to free up recovery funds for the affected areas.
As of Sunday morning, the wildfire in Prescott had grown to 4.8 square miles (12.4 square kilometers) and was 15 percent contained. Thanks to water and retardant dropped by helicopters and air tankers.
Wildfires in New Mexico and Arizona are still under investigation as to what caused them.