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SILVER CITY - Residents continued to be evacuated from their Rosedale Road homes Monday night as a wind-swept fire that already destroyed as many as 15 homes in the Silver Acres neighborhood continued to burn out of control.
Silver City Fire Chief Rudy Bencomo said because the winds were still fueling the blaze, firefighters were in a defensive mode Monday night, evacuating people as necessary and trying to save as many homes as possible.
Grant County Sheriff Raul Villanueva said that all of Silver Acres from Lance Drive south to Broken Arrow had been evacuated Monday afternoon, and officers began evacuating homes on Rosedale after the fire jumped Ridge Road.
Bencomo said the fire appears to have started north of the Tyrone town site just off the shoulder of Highway 90. The cause of the blaze has not been determined, he said.
By Monday afternoon an emergency shelter had been opened at the Grant County Business and Conference Center. About 60 people had made use of the shelter Monday afternoon and early evening.
The American Red Cross has parked a trailer with supplies at the Grant County Business and Conference Center to assist residents displaced by the fire. Red Cross volunteers from Grant and Luna Counties are assisting on the scene. Volunteers in Las Cruces are on stand by to assist if needed.
A command center also had been established at the Grant County Administration Building for fire and law enforcement personnel.
Dan Ware, spokesman for the state
"This is the worst-case scenario," Bencomo said. "If I could think of the worst thing that could happen, it's happening now. This is the worst fire I've ever seen."
Silver Acres resident Linda Pecotte watched from La Capilla on Chihuahua Hill Monday afternoon as billows of black smoke plumed from her neighborhood below.
"There are structures burning," Pecotte said. "Absolutely, no doubt."
Pecotte said her husband, Harry, is a volunteer firefighter with the Tyrone department and was fighting the blaze.
"It's getting pretty scary," she said.
As many as 80 firefighters from all Grant County volunteer fire departments, along with Silver City, and firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service and New Mexico Forestry Department, were battling the blaze into Monday evening.
Villanueva said he estimated between 50 to 70 law enforcement officers from all local agencies and the state police were on hand to assist in evacuations and traffic control.
The National Weather Service reported that Monday afternoon saw a steady wind of 30 to 35 mph from the southwest, with powerful gusts from 40 to 50 mph.
Villanueva advised that people who have been evacuated not attempt to go back to their homes until the situation is under control. He also said that people should avoid the Silver Acres area because additional traffic would hamper emergency vehicles efforts to fight the fire and evacuate homes.
Bencomo said firefighters would be focusing on saving structures and evacuations because the winds were preventing any attempts to contain the blaze.
"Containment really isn't possible right now," Bencomo said. "Even if we put out the fire tonight, there will still be hot spots."
Terrance Vestal can be reached at (575) 538-5893, ext. 5803
By the numbers
As of 6 p.m. Monday
• Acres burned: 500 to 1,000
• Structures destroyed: between 10 and 15 (homes and other structures)
• People displaced: several hundred (rough estimate). An emergency shelter was established at the Grant County Business and Conference Center on Highway 180 next to the Ace Hardware store.
• Firefighters on the ground: As many as 80 firefighters from all volunteer fire departments in Grant County, plus Silver City, U.S. Forest Service and New Mexico Forestry personnel were dispatched to fight the blaze.
• Injuries: One firefighter, department and condition not available.
• Livestock: One horse has been confirmed lost
• Law enforcement: 50 to 75 law enforcement officers from all agencies in Grant County, along with New Mexico State Police were dispatched to assist in evacuation and traffic control.
