New Mexico Wildfire Doubles in Size

 Ron Brackett and Jan Wesner Childs

Published: April 28, 2021

A wildfire burning in southern New Mexico has doubled in size.

The Three Rivers Fire fire broke out Monday in a part of the Lincoln National Forest about 180 miles south of Albuquerque. The blaze had burned about 19 square miles as of Tuesday evening, according to an update from fire officials. That was twice the size it was in an earlier update.

The fire was 5% contained.

Meanwhile, evacuation orders were lifted for several communities but fire officials advised residents to remain vigilant and prepared to leave if necessary.

The blaze started about a half-mile above the Three Rivers Campground and was being driven by steep terrain and extreme fire weather conditions, including gusty winds and low humidity levels, according to Laura Rabon, a public affairs officer with the Lincoln National Forest.

(MORE: Drought, High Temps Damaging New Mexico's Forests; Raising Wildfire Risk)

Crews were fighting the fire from land and air.

There were no injuries reported and no structures had burned.

The original evacuation orders affected about 250 people in the Nogal Canyon area, the Bonito Canyon area, Tanbark, Church, Ranchman’s Camp, Loma Grande, Cora Dutton, Magado and Ski Apache. Those affected about 250 people, according to KRQE. Three evacuation centers were opened in Alto, Capitan and Ruidoso Downs.

Residents in several of those neighborhoods were allowed to return home Tuesday afternoon, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office.

Several roads were also closed.

Smoke from the fire was visible on U.S. Highway 54, and it was moving to the northeast into the communities of Alto, Capitan, and Ruidoso, Rabon said.

The National Weather Service office in Albuquerque said wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph were possible into Tuesday morning.

"A break in critical fire weather arrives late Tuesday through Wednesday with the passage of a Pacific storm system," the office tweeted. "Cooler temperatures and an incredibly welcomed increase in precipitation chances accompany this storm system."

New Mexico is in the grips of a lingering drought. More than 80% of the state, including Lincoln County, is under extreme or exceptional drought conditions, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System.

Above-normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation is expected at least through June.

The Three Rivers Fire started Monday, April 26, 2021, in the Lincoln National Forest about 125 miles southeast of Albuquerque, New Mexico. It quickly grew to 9.5 square miles and was being driven by steep terrain and extreme fire weather conditions.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.