GLENWOOD, N.M. — Crews fighting a wildfire in the Gila National Forest in New Mexico planned to take advantage of lighter winds Sunday by building protection lines on key flanks of the blaze and preparing to send water-dropping helicopters into the air for the first time in several days.
The Whitewater-Baldy Complex fire continued to grow, burning more than 122,000 acres, or 191 square miles, by midday Sunday and was about 2 miles away from the privately owned ghost town of Mogollon in southwestern New Mexico.
The area around the ghost town attraction was evacuated Saturday because of extreme winds, but no homes there have been destroyed.
Denise Ottaviano, speaking for the crew that is fighting the blaze, said the fire remains active near Mogollon, but the blaze hasn’t made a significant push toward the town. Crews were working to build a protection line between Mogollon and the fire’s western edge.
The blaze, however, destroyed a dozen homes and several outbuildings on Wednesday in the community of Willow Creek, which remains under evacuation.
Officials say crews were taking measures to protect homes in Willow Creek.
No other communities were threatened.
On Sunday, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez authorized the deployment of 15 National Guard soldiers to help secure areas around the fire.
Meanwhile, crews were building protection lines on the fire’s western and northern edges and making preparations to send five helicopters into the air to focus on the blaze’s hot spots.
For the past several days, high winds have prevented helicopters from taking to the air. But milder winds of 10 mph to 15 mph on Sunday prompted crews to search for water supplies for the five helicopters. Officials hoped to get the helicopters in the air later on Sunday.
“That’s definitely an improvement to get those helicopters in the air to help the fire fighters on the ground,” Ottaviano said.
Zero percent of the fire has been contained.
Despite tamer winds, crews were still contending with extremely dry conditions and are expecting a decrease in humidity.
State officials had warned residents during the Memorial Day weekend to limit outdoor activities, especially if smoke was visible.
Meanwhile in western Colorado, gusty winds have spread two wildfires that have burned more than 7,000 acres and prompted the evacuation of several campgrounds.
Crews were battling a wildfire that has scorched at least 5,000 acres of rugged canyon land north of Paradox near the Colorado-Utah border.
Sheriff’s deputies on Saturday evacuated the Buckeye Reservoir area, a popular recreation spot near the Utah border. The Rock Creek and Sinbad Valley areas also were evacuated.
Meanwhile, winds of more than 60 mph fueled a 2,325-acre fire northwest of Pagosa Springs, and several campgrounds in the area have been evacuated.
Also Sunday, a large wildfire was reported east of Pueblo near Fowler, prompting the closure of U.S. 50. The exact size of the fire wasn’t immediately clear.
In California, ground crews with air support were surrounding a stubborn wildfire that has burned through 4,100 acres of grass and brush in rural San Diego County.
CalFire spokesman Roxanne Provaznik says the blaze near Shelter Valley is burning away from the town of Julian in steep, rocky terrain. It was 65 percent contained Sunday. No structures were threatened.
Also Sunday, rain lent a hand to the crew that is battling a wildfire that has consumed 31.6 square miles of forest in the eastern part of Michigan’s sparsely populated Upper Peninsula and destroyed at least 61 buildings, an official said.
The fire in Luce County, near Newberry, was about 48 percent contained at midday Sunday, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
The agency estimates the fire has burned 20,255 acres, down slightly from Saturday’s figure. The new number is based on more accurate measurements, spokesman Dean Wilson said.
Sunday’s rain was helping efforts to control the Duck Lake Fire, which started with a lightning strike Wednesday. The blaze has burned a stretch of forest that touches Lake Superior, about 75 miles northeast of the Mackinac Bridge. The area is remote and nearly inaccessible in places.
Of the approximately 230people fighting the fire, 40 are involved in aerial operations.
No injuries have been reported, and fewer than 100 people have been evacuated.
Gov. Rick Snyder declared a state of disaster in Luce and Schoolcraft counties. The declaration permitted authorities to order evacuations, establish a fireworks ban in the two affected counties and ban outdoor fires in 49 counties.
Front Section, Pages 3 on 05/28/2012