Firemen fighting wildfire (Representative image)|Jean Beaufort|CC0 1.0
Several residents evacuated the villages of northern New Mexico as strong winds drove the largest active US wildfire beyond containment lines.
Winds with a speed of more than 40 mph caused new fires as they carried embers a mile ahead of the blaze. A firefight is underway with bulldozers carving fire breaks to restrict the spread. The wind carried ash seven miles through the air that fell on Las Vegas.
The fire—burning since April 6—has destroyed hundreds of properties and forced the evacuation of dozens of settlements in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Fire officials are trying to control the fire by using scoopers and helicopters to help the firefighters working on the ground.
