Jemez Mountains Wildfire Forces Evacuations

A wildfire, dubbed the McCauley Springs Fire, ignited in New Mexico's Jemez Mountains and quickly grew to 150 acres, leading to mandatory evacuations on Wednesday. Residents in Sierra de los Pinos and Vallecitos neighborhoods, along with attendees and staff at the YMCA of Central New Mexico's Camp Shaver and the Jemez Falls Campground, were forced to leave. The U.S. Forest Service indicated the fire has a high potential for spread, with concerns that smoke could impact the Santa Fe metro area.

Several closures were implemented, including Battleship Campground, Trail 137, and Fenton Lake State Park's boat ramp. Jemez Mountains Electric Cooperative shut off power in the vicinity as a safety measure. Evacuation centers were established in La Cueva and near Jemez Pueblo, with advice for livestock owners to relocate animals to San Ysidro. Authorities urged the public to avoid N.M. 4 due to heavy smoke.

Additional resources, including Hotshot crews and helicopters, were deployed to combat the McCauley Springs Fire. Meanwhile, other fires persist across New Mexico, including the Rio Fire at 147 acres with 65% containment and a wildfire near Clines Corners that has burned over 800 acres. Meteorologists warned of challenging conditions due to high winds and the potential for lightning-caused fires in the coming days.