Fast-moving N.M. blaze prompts evacuations

PECOS, N.M. — A fast-moving fire in New Mexico’s Santa Fe National Forest prompted evacuations of homes and campgrounds, threatened cabins, and closed a state highway Friday.

Officials asked residents in 140 homes — mostly used for the summer — to evacuate as crews battled the 3.1-squaremile blaze near the communities of Pecos and Tres Lagunas, about 25 miles west of Santa Fe.

They also evacuated campgrounds and closed trailheads around Pecos, Las Vegas and Santa Fe as they worked on containment lines in hopes of preventing the fire from moving toward the capital city’s watershed.

Officials said the fire doubled in size by Friday afternoon and was still totally uncontained. That prompted New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez to declare a state of emergency in San Miguel County to free up state funds to fight the fire.

New Mexico State Forestry spokesman Dan Ware said the evacuations came after the fire jumped state Highway 63.

Officials say a downed power line ignited the blaze Thursday. It’s the first major wildfire this year in New Mexico, which is in its driest twoyear period in nearly120 years of record-keeping.

Meanwhile, firefighters gained ground on a wildfire in the mountains north of Los Angeles. Crews took advantage of cool morning weather to make progress Friday, but scattered flames continued to climb hillsides.

The 2.2-square-mile wildfire was 15 percent contained.