Wildfire smoke shrouds Denver
In New Mexico, Little Bear roars
LOVELAND, Colo. — A northern Colorado wildfire 60 miles away wrapped Denver in a pungent cloud of smoke for several hours Tuesday and complicated the aerial offensive against the spreading mountain blaze, which has killed one person and destroyed more than 100 structures.
In southern New Mexico, a 56-square -mile wildfire threatening the village of Ruidoso damaged or destroyed at least 224 homes and cabins. Lincoln County workers found only heaps of burned metal and other debris on home sites hit hardest by the Little Bear fire.
“It’s truly heartbreaking to see the damage done to this beautiful part of the coun- try,” New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez said after touring the area.
With at least 19 large fires burning in nine states, President Barack Obama called Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper to assure him that the federal government stood ready to provide personnel, equipment and emergency grants for Colorado and other states battling fire. Obama also tried to reach Martinez, but her office said poor reception in the fire zone kept the two from connecting.
The 68-square -mile High Park Fire in Colorado shrouded downtown Denver, some 60 miles south, in a smoky haze early Tuesday. The smoke temporarily grounded the air attack on the fire, but helicopters and tanker planes took to the skies by midday.
Larimer County authorities allowed some residents to return home — but issued 25 more evacuation notices in the fire zone.
The wildfires in the drought-stricken West have tested federal resources.
U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell announced late Monday the agency was contracting eight heavy air tankers to increase the aging national f leet to 17.
Still, Colorado U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet urged President Barack Obama to sign a bill that would allow the Forest Service to buy as many as seven large air tankers outright. The U.S. House and Senate passed the bill last week.