SANTA FE, New Mexico (AP) – New Mexico Gov. Michel Luhan Grisham has signed a state of emergency as 20 wildfires continued to burn Sunday in nearly half of the state’s 33 drought-stricken counties.
A wildfire in northern New Mexico, which began on April 6, merged with a newer fire on Saturday to form the largest fire in the state, leading to widespread evacuations in Mora and San Miguel counties. This fire is 84 square miles (217 square kilometers) on Sunday and 12% have been contained.
An unbridled, wildfire-induced wildfire in northern New Mexico that began on April 17, charred 81 square miles (209 square kilometers) of pine, oak shrubs and grass until Sunday morning north of Okayte, an unincorporated community in Mora County.
In Arizona, meanwhile, some residents forced to evacuate due to a wildfire near Flagstaff were allowed to return home Sunday morning.
Nebraska authorities say wildfires caused by winds that have engulfed parts of the state have killed a retired Cambridge fire chief and injured at least 11 firefighters.
Winds and temperatures in New Mexico eased on Saturday, but remained strong enough to continue to ignite fires. Dozens of evacuation orders remained in force.
Firefighters expected northern forest fires to slow Sunday as clouds and smoke cover moved, allowing forests to retain more moisture. But they added that the interior of the fires could show moderate to extreme behavior that could threaten structures in those areas.
More than 200 structures have been charred by forest fires so far, and another 900 remain endangered, Lujan Grisham said.
Firefighters said the exact number of damages was unclear, as it was still too dangerous for crews to enter and search all the lost homes.
“We do not know the amount of the loss of the structure. We don’t even know the areas where most of the homes went through the fire, where the homes weren’t damaged or anything like that, “said Jason Cole, chief of operations.
About 1,000 firefighters have battled wildfires in New Mexico, which has already provided about $ 3 million in grants to help the fires.
Lucan Grisham said she had asked the White House for more federal resources and called for a ban on fireworks across the state.
“We need more federal agencies to put out fires, extinguish fires, support public safety on the ground in New Mexico,” she said. “It will be a difficult summer. That is why we ban fires. That is why on Monday I will ask every local authority to consider ways to ban the sale of fireworks.
Forest fires have become a year-round threat to the West due to changing conditions, which include earlier melting of snow and rain coming later in the fall, scientists said. The problems have been exacerbated by decades of firefighting and mismanagement, along with more than 20 years of mega-drought, which studies link to man-made climate change.
In Arizona, two major wildfires continued to burn 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Prescott and 14 miles (22 kilometers) northeast of Flagstaff on Sunday.
Kokonino County authorities revoked an evacuation order Sunday morning for residents living in neighborhoods on Highway 89 after fire officials said the forest fire in the Flagstaff area was no longer a threat.
The fire near Flagstaff was 33 square miles (85 square kilometers) on Sunday with 3% control. That forced the evacuation of 766 homes and burned 30 homes and two dozen other structures since it began a week ago, according to county officials.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey declared a state of emergency on Thursday for Coconino County to release aid to rebuild affected communities.
The wildfire near Prescott began last Monday and was 4.8 square miles (12.4 square kilometers) and 15% under control as of Sunday morning as helicopters and air tankers released water and a retarder to slow the fire.
The causes of the wildfires in New Mexico and Arizona are still being investigated.
Nebraska Emergency Management Agency officials said John P. Trumbull of Arapaho was engulfed in smoke and fire after his car left the road on Friday night due to poor visibility of smoke and dust.
The 66-year-old Trumbull worked with firefighters as an observer in Red Willow County in the southwest corner of the state and his body was found early Saturday, authorities said.
Forest fires are still burning Saturday night in five counties in Nebraska. The Nebraska National Guard has deployed three helicopters and several support trucks to help fight the fires.
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