Wildfire damages Civil War-area historical site in New Mexico as campgrounds are evacuated

Campgrounds and a equine ranch were evacuated arsenic a wildfire swept done a Civil War-era humanities tract successful confederate New Mexico

SANTA FE, N.M. -- A wildfire swept done portions of a Civil War-era fort and humanities tract successful confederate New Mexico, forcing the evacuations of campgrounds and a equine ranch, authorities said Monday.

The occurrence damaged structures astatine Fort Stanton Historical Site built by the Civilian Conservation Corps successful the 1930s and a gym erected by Germans interned astatine the tract during World War II aft their vessel sank.

Ground crews, aerial tankers and helicopters joined efforts to incorporate a blaze that scorched much than a quadrate mile (3 quadrate kilometers) of terrain astatine the tract and surrounding conservation lands managed by the national Bureau of Land Management.

Laura Rabon, a spokesperson for a multiagency squad responding to the situation, said crews cleared lines of vegetation Monday connected the northbound broadside of the wildfire and helicopters doused smoldering blistery spots with water. The occurrence was contained on 4% of its boundary.

The blaze astatine Fort Stanton is astir 15 miles (24 kilometers) distant from communities astatine Ruidoso that were ravaged by wildfires past twelvemonth erstwhile respective 100 homes and businesses were destroyed. Those fires were followed by devastating flooding and erosion successful scorched areas.

Separately successful Arizona, much than 500 firefighters and enactment unit had mostly contained the boundaries of a wildfire northeast of Tuscon, successful the Santa Catalina Mountains, that has destroyed 5 homes successful the assemblage of Oracle. Evacuations were rescinded successful immoderate residential areas — but not each — connected Monday.

Fire enactment astatine Fort Stanton decreased amid mild precocious temperatures Monday of 75 degrees (24 Celsius) and 10 mph (16 kph) winds. The root of the occurrence was unknown, with a BLM researcher scheduled to statesman enactment Tuesday.

Horses and a household of 4 were archetypal evacuated Sunday from a backstage ranch successful the vicinity, but they had been allowed to return.

On Sunday, aerial tankers dropped occurrence retardant connected the outskirts of the occurrence successful efforts to dilatory its progress.

Highway 220 was closed adjacent Fort Stanton to guarantee entree for firefighting crews, arsenic much than 70 radical fought the fire. Fort Stanton Historical Site was closed and 3 adjacent camping areas were evacuated.

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