Winds, dry weather feed US wildfire

Thousands of residents of northern New Mexico villages were told to evacuate as fierce winds drove the largest active US wildfire towards their drought-parched mountain valley

104,000 acres

Have been burnt in the Calf Canyon fire, the largest of a dozen Southwest blazes that scientists have said are more widespread and arriving earlier this year due to climate crisis

More fires than last year

U.S. wildfires have burned more than twice as much land this year as in the same period of 2021, and about 70% more than the 10-year average, according to the National Interagency Fire Center

Thousands affected

"We're just gritting our teeth, there's going to be thousands of people affected," said San Miguel county deputy manager Jesus Romero. The blaze has so far forced the evacuation of dozens of villages and settlements in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains

Two killed

The blaze has claimed two lives, and burnt nearly 200 homes, mapping imagery has revealed

Winds to blame?

Winds gusting over 64 kph are blowing embers miles ahead of the blaze to start new fires as crews battle to stop the flames

Raging since April 6

Burning since April 6 around 48 km east of Santa Fe, the fire has destroyed more than 300 properties and forced the evacuation of dozens of villages and settlements in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains

Scientists point to climate crisis

While the blaze started from a windblown, downed power line, hotter and drier weather coupled with decades of fire suppression have contributed to an increase in the number of acres burned by wildfires. The region is experiencing summer-like fire conditions in spring after climate crisis lowered snowpacks and allowed larger and more extreme fires to start earlier in the year, according to scientists