This photo shows the wildfire in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on May 26, 2012.
Massive wildfire is raging out of control in the mountains of southwestern US state of New Mexico, the largest of several blazes that have burned forest lands across six states.
On Saturday, the firefighters’ effort to contain the blaze in Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah was hurt by dry weather conditions and strong winds fanning the flames.
Several small towns in the affected regions were ordered to evacuate. More than 580 firefighters and support crew have been fighting the blaze, which was started by lightning 10 days ago.
The wildfire has raged across 82,252 acres as of Friday and officials say the damage could be much larger than estimated.
“We know that there was significant growth yesterday, but we don’t have a hard and fast number,” Fire Information Officer Dan Ware said.
March, April and May 2012 have set new heat records, across much of the mid-western and eastern United States. Other areas of the country are now at high risk of wildfires too.
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