Record wildfire in New Mexico only 15% contained

June 2, 2012 – NEW MEXICO – The largest wildfire in New Mexico’s history continued to burn almost uncontrollably Saturday in the remote Gila Wilderness, belching enough smoke to prompt officials to caution that children, adults with heart disease and other sensitive groups should not go outdoors. Since lightning ignited the Whitewater-Baldy Fire Complex wildfire on May 9, flames have devoured 227,000 acres — more than 354 square miles — in the southwest portion of the state. Even though 1,257 personnel have been fighting the conflagration, only 15% of it was contained Saturday, U.S. Forest Service officials said. For purposes of comparison, the burn area of 354 square miles is more than one and a half times bigger than the city of Chicago’s 227 square miles. Two separate strikes of lightning caused the mountainous fire: the Baldy Fire started May 9 in an inaccessible area of the rugged wilderness, and the Whitewater Fire was reported on May 16 several miles west of the Baldy Fire, Forest Service officials said. The two fires in the Gila National Forest combined May 23, enhanced by drought and sustained winds of 40 mph to 50 mph, authorities said. It was the May 16 event that led crews to try to suppress the entirety of the fire but “the extreme fire activity, coupled with incredibly rugged terrain and large boulders falling down the steep canyons forced fire crews to pull out of the area after the first day of fighting the fire,” the Forest Service said. The fire began 15 miles east of Glenwood, New Mexico, and has been fueled by conifers, ponderosa pines, pinons, junipers and grass, Forest Service officials said. Continuing growth potential for the history-making wildfire was “high” Saturday, the Forest Service said. –CNN