Drought-fueled wildfires rage in New Mexico, California

By Zelie Pollon

SANTA FE, New Mexico (Reuters) - A trio of drought-fueled wildfires burned out of control in New Mexico and California on Sunday as shifting winds and other adverse weather conditions hampered fire-fighting efforts, authorities said.

The Powerhouse wildfire in California's Lake Hughes area, 65 miles north of Los Angeles, had destroyed six houses, said Ronald Ashdale, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service.

It was threatening more than 1,000 homes and had already charred 19,500 acres, the Forest Service said, adding that the blaze was not expected to be contained before Wednesday.

High temperatures and dramatic wind shifts have contributed to the fire, according to Ashdale, who said as many as 975 firefighters and other personnel had been struggling to contain the blaze in an area as dry as a tinderbox.

In New Mexico, two other fires also raged out of control on Sunday, one of them consuming 7,476 acres 2,800 (ha) of Ponderosa pine forest in an area known as the Pecos Wilderness, authorities said.

It too was fed by severe drought conditions blanketing 98 percent of the state, weather officials said.

"This is a historic drought. We haven't seen a drought like this since the 1950s," said Dan Ware of New Mexico's State Forestry agency.

Smoke advisories were sent to residents throughout the state after smoke and falling ash filled the air over Santa Fe and neighboring areas.

The other New Mexico fire had consumed 1,745 acres of the Valles Caldera National Preserve by late Sunday, triggering the evacuation of about 50 families, fire officials said.

(Additional reporting by Brendan O'Brien.; Editing by Tom Brown and Christopher Wilson)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/drought-fueled-wildfires-rage-mexico-california-015618674.html

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