Gila N.F. Fire Largest In New Mexico History, Spreading In All Directions As Dry West Braces - WP

[hatrack]

RESERVE, N.M. — New Mexico’s largest wildfire in recorded state history has grown to nearly 339 square miles.

Fire officials said Friday that the massive blaze in the Gila National Forest scorched an additional 39 square miles in the past day. The fire has burned nearly 217,000 acres in an isolated mountainous area of southwestern New Mexico.

The incident management team says more than 1,200 firefighters are battling the fire that so far has injured six people. Officials say the fire is around 10 percent contained.

Forecasters say there’s chance for thunderstorms and dry lightning over the Black Hills area that could spark fires.

EDIT

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/massive-nm-blaze-spreading-in-all-directions-as-fears-grow-of-more-western-wildfires-to-come/2012/05/31/gJQAH50l5U_story.html

[Warpy]

1. Temperatures will be triple digit today

so the poor firefighters will be suffering.

It stinks of smoke here in the big city, well over a hundred miles away from the fire.

[libodem]

2. Damn

Sorry. Hate to see land be scorched like that, plus the smoke in the air.