Top > World > 2006 > March > 2006-03-04

New Mexico Blaze Sparks Evacuations

A fire burning on parched grasslands in northeast New Mexico forced the evacuation of a small farming and ranching community. The fire was sparked by a downed power line and burned about 10,000 acres. Sometimes, such fires are caused by lightning strikes.

The State Forestry Division says firefighters have kept the fire from spreading into the community of Miami. Officials say about 100 people who were forced from their homes, have been moved to a convention center. Firefighters from three counties were battling the blaze in winds of 15 to 20 mph.

Fires such as this one often occur in especially dry areas due to the vulnerability of the brush to flame in the often intense head of the southwestern United States, even at this time of year. Summers are an especially dangerous time for mountainous regions that are dry, because forest fires can rage for days on end with plenty of fuel.