Two wildfires in New Mexico are burning over 80,000 acres, prompting evacuation orders and an emergency response from state officials.
The Buck Fire is burning over 57,000 acres in Catron County and is 15% contained as of Tuesday night, according to New Mexico Fire Information. Lightning sparked the fire on June 11, authorities said.
The Trout Fire started a day later and is burning nearly 25,000 acres in the south of the Gila National Forest. It has no containment, and its cause has not yet been determined. Extreme drought conditions, combined with hot and dry temperatures caused the blaze to grow on Monday, the U.S. Forest Service said in an update Tuesday.
Residents of about 2,000 homes have been forced to evacuate, according to Stefan La-Sky, a spokesperson for the team managing the Trout Fire. Officials said they were not aware of any injuries or burned structures.
Around 875 personnel and 10 helicopters worked to slow the fire on Tuesday, La-Sky said.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency on Tuesday in response to the Trout Fire. The governor’s declaration will direct the New Mexico Department of Finance Administration to allocate $750,000 to the state’s Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for emergency response efforts.
The New Mexico National Guard will also be deployed to assist, according to the governor’s declaration.
“I appreciate our federal partners for taking this threat seriously and for doing their part in supporting the responders who are working their hardest to protect the community,” Grisham said.
The state’s Department of Health issued a smoke advisory for Grant and Catron counties. Health officials warned that the smoke will travel based on wind conditions, and air quality may be affected as far as Las Cruces — nearly 130 miles away.
A red flag warning is in effect through Wednesday, as temperatures remain in the 90s with extremely low humidity, and wind gusts are expected up to 35 miles per hour. Red flag warnings are issued to indicate the highest level of fire danger.
Jared Ochacher covers national breaking news at CBS News. He is based in New York City.
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