This is one of several fires burning in the West, with the flames also engulfing Arizona and Nebraska, where one person died.
On Saturday, New Mexico Gov. Michel Luhan Grisham said 16 of the state’s 33 counties were fighting the blaze, with 20 active wildfires.
Weakening winds and lower temperatures in the southwest are expected to give firefighters some temporary rest on Monday – and there may even be rain and snow in northeastern New Mexico, CNN meteorologist Robert Shackleford said.
“There is a chance of light snow accumulation and the fire in Calf Canyon is on the verge of it, so all kinds of rainfall are very much appreciated. But unfortunately the winds and temperatures will intensify there from Tuesday and will reach their peak on Friday, “said Shackleford.
The Hermits Peak fire, which burned near Las Vegas, New Mexico, started on April 6, and the fire in Calf Canyon began on Tuesday.
At a briefing Sunday night, officials warned that the combined fire had the potential to spread and there was still a lot of unburned fuel within it.
“Firefighters are fully engaged, we have the full range of our fire forces – air resources, ground resources, intelligence resources,” said incident commander Carl Schwop. He noted that this is a very complex fire with a perimeter of more than 180 miles.
Two paddle planes have been deployed to scoop water from a nearby lake to put out the blaze, with two more expected on Monday, Jason Coyle, chief of operations, told a briefing.
Heavy helicopters that can hold up to 2,000 gallons of water are also used, as well as air tankers, Coil said.
Evacuation warrants issued in Arizona tunnel fire
Arizona has revoked evacuation orders for neighborhoods affected by a fire in a tunnel that burned just over 21,000 acres of land, according to InciWeb.
The fire has been burning in Coconino County in northern Arizona for nearly a week and was contained by only 3% as of Sunday, according to an InciWeb report. Firefighters remain in the area as relief efforts continue.
The fire started on April 17 north of Flagstaff. At least two dozen buildings have been destroyed, officials said.
As residents began returning to their neighborhoods on Sunday, the full extent of the devastation from the fire came to light.
Shirley Ernst had not yet seen the burnt remains of her home in person, but the CNN KNXV affiliate was able to show her video of the scene.
“It’s unbelievable, you know?” “We still feel it’s a dream, a bad dream,” Ernst told the station. “All your efforts, all your sacrifices, just there, you know, in the ashes … There’s no word to describe the pain.”
George Adson said seeing his home survive the fire was a relief, but he felt for his neighbors, who had lost everything.
“You have little to blame for the survivors,” Adson told KNXV. “Just the fact that our property looks pretty good right now, and if you look right there, there’s nothing there.”
Authorities warned residents to return to their homes to beware of the dangerous conditions the fire left behind.
Examples of hazards include fire-weakened trees that can fall without warning, loss of vegetation can loosen rolling debris and rocks, and stump ash pits may look benign, but will retain hot ash for some time and they can cause severe burns if they step inside, “the report said.
The state of emergency in Coconino County, declared by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Thursday, remains in effect.
Retired fire chief dies in Nebraska fires
In Nebraska, one person died in fires in the southwestern part of the state.
Retired Fire Chief John P. Trumbull, 66, drove while acting as an observer. Smoke and dust blocked his visibility, causing his car to leave the road. He was then covered in fire and smoke, according to the Red Willow County Sheriff’s Office.
Trembul died while driving on Route 407, a site that was part of a major Nebraska wildfire emergency called the Route 702 Fire – which is thought to have burned more than 50,000 acres by Sunday afternoon, according to Nebraska Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
The agency said forest fires on Road 702 have engulfed parts of Frontier, Furnas and Red Willow counties.
All evacuation orders issued earlier because of the fire have been revoked as of Sunday afternoon, NEMA notes.
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