NEWS
New Mexico officials respond to 1,500-acre Sparks Fire in Quay County
Multiple structures threatened in remote area near Highway 156, southwest of Tucumcari
The New Mexico Forestry Division deployed resources on Tuesday to a 1,500-acre wildfire burning through grass, pi帽on and juniper southwest of Tucumcari.
The Sparks Fire was discovered near Highway 156 near mile marker 41 around 3:20 p.m. and is threatening multiple structures, according to Forestry Division Communications Manager George Ducker.
As of Tuesday evening, Ducker reported that the fire was 0% contained and remains under investigation. No evacuation orders are currently in place.
鈥淩esources are on scene and attempting direct engagement using a full suppression strategy,鈥 Ducker wrote in an update on Tuesday. 鈥淭he active fire is running, spotting and wind-driven, moving west to east through grass and pi帽on-juniper fuels. The area is remote and cell service is not readily available.鈥
Winds gusts of up to 30 miles per hour were forecast for the area on Tuesday afternoon, challenging a multi-agency containment effort, including resources from Quay County, the City of Santa Fe, Sandoval County, Cochiti Pueblo, Union County, multiple volunteer fire departments and Oregon Department of Forestry.
New Mexico has seen widespread fire weather conditions in April, with several other wildfires currently burning throughout the state on the heels of an exceptionally dry winter.
Tucumcari officials are also managing a 111-acre wildfire spotted west of town on Saturday, and a small 15-acre was found northeast of Ute Resevoir on Sunday.
The Sparks Fire is now the second-largest fire currently burning in New Mexico, surpassed in size by the 3,882-acre Hummingbird Fire burning 3 miles southwest of Willow Creek in the heart of the Gila Wilderness.
The Forestry Division reported 79% containment of a 233-acre wildfire in Las Tusas on Sunday, not far from the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak burn scar and the soon-to-expand John T. Harrington Forestry Research Center in Mora.
John Miller is the sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 northern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at jmiller@abqjournal.com.