(Reuters) – A wind-driven wildfire burned multiple homes in Ruidoso, New Mexico, on Tuesday and triggered evacuations in the mountain resort town, fire officials said.
The fire quickly spread to 15,000 acres as winds gusted at up to 70 mph (112 kph), sending flames through forested canyons filled with homes, according to the Lincoln National Forest and local officials.
Video footage and photos showed ridgetop homes ablaze as the fast-moving fire forced the evacuation of much of the town of around 8,000, located in the Sierra Blanca mountains, about 134 miles southeast of Albuquerque.
The blaze, known as the McBride Fire, was one of around half a dozen wildfires in New Mexico where high winds quickly drove flames through forest and grassland suffering from severe to extreme drought.
A blaze south of Albuquerque destroyed 19 structures, including one home.
(Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Editing by Leslie Adler)
