265 Square Mile Wildfire Becomes Largest in New Mexico History

The Gila National Forest in New Mexico is burning out of control. The fire, which was started by lightning, is being referred to as the Whitewater-Baldy Complex Fire and has consumed more than 170,000 acres. That puts it almost 20,000 acres ahead of last year’s Las Conchas fire which burned 156,593 acres.

The Whitewater-Baldy fire has burned 12 homes and isn’t finished yet.

Official have said there are over 1,200 fire fighters working to control the blaze.

Several small communities near the the fire have been evacuated and several historic structures have been wrapped in aluminum-like protective covering.

In an AP article, Jeremy Sullens, a wildland fire anaylst at the National Interagency Fire Center, said La Nina is the main reason the U.S. Southwest has experienced months of drought which has primed the landscape for a forest fire.

“It’s highly likely that the western United States will see more fires this season that will require out of state resources to fight them,” Sullens said.

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