Along Arizona's eastern border, a mammoth forest fire is raging uncontained as high winds and low humidity triggered a declaration of emergency to coordinate the entire state's response.
The National Weather Service has issued a 'Red Flag Warning' for southeastern Arizona, most of New Mexico, as well as parts of northern Texas, Colorado and Oklahoma amid critical fire weather conditions.
About half of the 4,000 residents who call Eagar, Arizona home were forced to leave Tuesday afternoon as flames from the Wallow fire overcame the ridges surrounding the area. Residents in the rest of Eagar and in neighboring Springerville grew worried as they awaited word of whether they will have to flee, too.
The blaze has burned 486 square miles of ponderosa pine forest, driven by wind gusts of more than 60 mph, since it was sparked May 29 by what authorities believe was an unattended campfire. Over twice the size of Chicago, the fire has become the second-largest in Arizona history. It has cast smoke as far east as Iowa and forced some planes to divert from Albuquerque, N.M., some 200 miles (320km) away.
In addition to the back burns overnight, crews Wednesday planned to continue scraping away brush and trees to create a barrier around Springerville and Eagar. More fire fighters and police were expected to descend on the area known as Round Valley on Wednesday.
Thousands of firefighters, including many from several western states and as far away as New York are helping out and forest supervisor Christopher Knopp said the cost of fighting the Wallow fire has approached $8 million and is rising.
Here's a look at the blaze, the firefighters, and the residents who were forced to flee:
Robert Joseph rides his all terrain vehicles along U.S. Route 180 as smoke from the Wallow Wildfire fills the sky in Luna, New Mexico June 6, 2011. Firefighters battling the raging wildfire in eastern Arizona made slight progress in preventing the spread of a blaze that has charred over 200,000 acres of prime forest, officials said on Monday. The fire which started in Arizona last week is now threatening Western New Mexico. More than 1,300 firefighters from across the nation are trying to contain the fire to protect several small mountain communities and stop the stubborn wildfire, burning about 250 miles northeast of Phoenix.REUTERSA view of the Wallow Wildfire is pictured in the distance seen along the U.S. Route 180 as smoke fills the sky in Luna, New Mexico June 6, 2011. A wildfire that has charred more than 350 square miles (906 sq km) in eastern Arizona forced the evacuation of a third town on Monday and crept near populated areas along the New Mexico border as it raged out of control for a ninth day. The so-called Wallow Fire, burning about 250 miles (400 km) northeast of Phoenix and stretching to near the Arizona-New Mexico border, ranks as the third-largest fire on record in Arizona.REUTERSSmoke from the Wallow Wildfire surround trees in Eagar, Arizona June 7, 2011. A stubborn wildfire in eastern Arizona that has forced the evacuation of as many as 3,000 people flared out of control for a 10th day on Tuesday and advanced on two more mountain towns near New Mexico. At midday Tuesday, fire officials said the so-called Wallow Fire had charred more than 311,000 acres (126,000 hectares) since it erupted on May 29, and now ranks as the second-largest wildfire in Arizona's history.REUTERSJerry Kinny sits in his vehicle as he watches smoke from the Wallow Wildfire fill the sky along U.S. Route 180 as in Luna, New Mexico June 6, 2011. Firefighters battling the raging wildfire in eastern Arizona made slight progress in preventing the spread of a blaze that has charred over 200,000 acres of prime forest, officials said on Monday. The fire which started in Arizona last week is now threating Western New Mexico. More than 1,300 firefighters from across the nation are trying to contain the fire to protect several small mountain communities and stop the stubborn wildfire, burning about 250 miles northeast of Phoenix.REUTERSLivestock stand on an open field as smoke billows from the Wallow Wildfire in Eagar, Arizona, June 7, 2011. A Wallow Wildfire roared out of control for more than two weeks through the pine forests of eastern Arizona state border west of the town of Luna, New Mexico in June. Having consumed over 469,000 acres, the fire set a record as the largest wildfire in state history. The fire forced as many as 10,000 people to flee from their homes and charred 680 square miles, authorities said.
REUTERSWayne Lutz takes a break from raking dead grass as he tries to protect his house from the Wallow Wildfire in Eagar, Arizona June 7, 2011. A stubborn wildfire in eastern Arizona that has forced the evacuation of as many as 3,000 people flared out of control for a 10th day on Tuesday and advanced on two more mountain towns near New Mexico. At midday Tuesday, fire officials said the so-called Wallow Fire had charred more than 311,000 acres (126,000 hectares) since it erupted on May 29, and now ranks as the second-largest wildfire in Arizona's history.REUTERSPolice officers direct traffic as local residents evacuate from the Wallow Wildfire in Springerville, Arizona June 7, 2011. A stubborn wildfire in eastern Arizona that has forced the evacuation of as many as 3,000 people flared out of control for a 10th day on Tuesday and advanced on two more mountain towns near New Mexico. At midday Tuesday, fire officials said the so-called Wallow Fire had charred more than 311,000 acres (126,000 hectares) since it erupted on May 29, and now ranks as the second-largest wildfire in Arizona's history.REUTERS
