Wallow Fire jumps containment lines in Luna NM, town evacuated

[phantom power]

Source: White Mountain Independent

Strong southwest winds have caused the Wallow Fire to breach containment lines along US 180, on the east side of the fire. The fire is burning toward Luna, New Mexico which, as of 3:15 p.m., is being evacuated. Air resources in defense of Luna have been grounded due to these high winds, however structural protection is in place and firefighters are defending Luna using engines and dozers. The High School in Reserve, New Mexico is being set up as a shelter for evacuees. High winds have also caused very active fire behavior in the Blue River area.

At 10:00 a.m. today, the evacuation order for Alpine was lifted and residents who have been away from their homes since June 3, were allowed to return.

A Red Flag Warning issued by the National Weather Service will continue Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. for strong winds and low relative humidity. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring or are imminent. Southwest winds are expected to increase on Sunday to 20-30 mph with gusts of 40-50 mph, with humidity on Sunday in the single digits. Critical fire weather conditions can be expected from late morning through early evening tomorrow. This combination of strong winds and low relative humidity could create extreme fire behavior. With the high winds, spotting is a major concern.

On the southern flank the fire has become established in Raspberry Creek and will continue burning down the drainage as it is pushed by southwest winds. There is active fire in the Steeple and KP Creek areas. Crews are staying in a spike camp with helicopters ferrying in supplies. Firefighters continue to build handline and install hoselines along Raspberry Ridge. Handline construction and the laying of hoselines continues between RDs 281 and 191 as does structure protection and roadwork.

Read more: http://www.wmicentral.com/news/wallow-fire-jumps-containment-lines-in-luna-nm-town-evacuated/article_1c2375c6-9a03-11e0-a788-001cc4c03286.html

[panader0]

1. My hopes are with the folks there.

The fire here is holding as of now. (The Monument fire) The evcuation line is still two miles away. I'm sick of the smoke.

[EFerrari]

3. I bet you are.

:(

The hills here are so dry, it's just a matter of time. We got late rain this year but the soil is so hard, it didn't matter a bit, it just runs off. Last night I heard an idiot setting off fire crackers and was wishing I did have a gun.

[SheilaT]

2. New Mexico in fire season!

Gotta love it. I'm in Santa Fe, and at least the smoke from the Wallow Fire hasn't been blanketing this place the last couple of weeks, because the wind has shifted. Last evening when I got out of work at 8pm, I noticed a very large plume of smoke to the north, and in this morning's paper there's a front page article about a fire in Pacheco Canyon, which started about 1:30 in the afternoon.

I just stepped out into my back yard to see if I could still see the smoke from it, and yeah, there's still smoke, although it's pure white now, not gray, and it doesn't seem as high as yesterday, although I'm about five miles further away from the fire than I was at work.

[Beartracks]

4. Ah, memories!

We lived in Santa Fe for a number of years (and would sure love to move back!), and remember the fire seasons well. I don't recall whether it was the Dome or the Oso Complex fire (both near Los Alamos), but one of them plumed up bigtime one afternoon and sent smoke across the valley, and we actually had ash and tiny bits of charred pine park falling on us while eating outside at a restaurant on Cerrillos Road.

==========================

[Judi Lynn]

5. Hoping this fire will finally run out very soon, not destroy New Mexico.

Hoping the best for a DU'er and his loved ones in that area.

[ShockediSay]

6. Climate change manifestations are not good but

do those in Arizona understand this?

[TygrBright]

7. Thank goodness Arizona hasn't spent any extra money on fire management.

It would be a terrible, intolerable burden for the taxpayers of Arizona to have to pay for effective firewatch and response efforts.

Especially when the fire is gonna mostly blow into communist New Mexico anyway, right?

sourly,
Bright

[Dont call me Shirley]

8. The air in Albuquerque is so thick with smoke the sky is white....

but global warming doesn't exist, right?!

[vanbean]

9. We're so sick of smoke too. But, better the smoke than the flames.

We're about 100 miles from the fire.