NEWS
Jemez Springs fire grows to more than 700 acres
McCauley Springs Fire spread overnight; evacuation orders for some areas remained in place
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A fire that sparked near Jemez Springs on Wednesday grew overnight as evacuation orders remained in place, prompting county commissioners to approve an emergency declaration.
The McCauley Springs Fire, north of Jemez Springs, grew to 708 acres and remained at 0% containment after being reported around 5 a.m. Wednesday, according to a Thursday news release from the Santa Fe National Forest.
鈥淩esources responded and noticed the thick black smoke pretty early in the morning,鈥� said Brandon Glenn, operations section chief for the Northern New Mexico Type 3 Incident Management Team, on Thursday. 鈥淲e have a lot of really dry conditions down here鈥� so conditions are ripe out there for really intense fire.鈥�
The Sandoval County Commission approved an emergency declaration Thursday afternoon, authorizing emergency powers and expenditures of available resources while requesting assistance and relief programs to battle the blaze, according to a news release from county spokesperson Shawn Perry-Turner.
The Sierra de los Pinos community and the Jemez Falls Campground remained under evacuation orders. Residents were encouraged to go to evacuation centers at Jemez Mountain Baptist Church and the Jemez Valley Senior Center near La Cueva, the release said. N.M. 4 between mile markers 27 and 40 is closed, along with Battleship Rock Campground, Jemez Falls Campground, Trail No. 137 and the Redondo Campground, according to the release.
鈥淭hey did do some burning around Highway 4 and around Jemez Falls Campground just to save our number one value, which is the Sierra de los Pinos,鈥� Glenn said.
The Santa Fe National Forest remained open as of Thursday, though a closure order in the McCauley Springs Fire area is imminent, according to a release from the forest.
Los Alamos County, roughly 20 miles away, remains in 鈥渞eady鈥� status, meaning residents should pack their belongings and prepare for a potential evacuation.
Hummingbird Music Camp, located west of the fire, was not under an evacuation order as of Thursday, according to a post on the camp鈥檚 website.
鈥淔or now, there is no immediate impact to camp activities,鈥� according to a statement from the camp. 鈥�The camp remains outside of the areas currently identified for evacuation preparedness or action, and operations continue as planned.鈥�
Glenn said the topography has made it difficult for firefighters to battle the blaze on the ground and aircraft have been used to drop retardant and water throughout the day.
A temporary flight restriction was in place to keep the area clear for aircraft, the release stated.
Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.
