Fire crews worked through the night to try to regain control of a prescribed burn in the Santa Fe National Forest that got away when unexpected winds kicked up.
The Mesa Camino Fire burned approximately 350 acres in the Coyote Ranger District on Monday, said Miles Standish, a fire information officer. About 150 acres of that was within the prescribed burn area.
''Some high winds that were not forecasted basically pushed the burn out of prescription,'' he said late Monday night.
Forest officials followed protocol in determining whether to conduct the burn, but the weather changed, said Jean Hellen, a fire information officer.
''The weather report that we were given didn't include the kind of wind event that came up at noon,'' Hellen said.
The fire was burning in the Jemez Mountains about five miles north of Coyote, Hellen said. It was moving away from the community.
''It's all in a remote location,'' Hellen said. ''There's no immediate threat to private property.''
The fire was burning oak, ponderosa pine and mixed conifer trees.
One 15-person hand-crew and four engines were working the fire. A helicopter also made water drops Monday and was expected to continue assisting Tuesday, Standish said.
Another fire in the area burned about 20 acres, Standish said.
The Valle Fire burned in the Valles Caldera National Preserve about four miles north of N.M. 4. The fire was not threatening any structures or private land.
That fire also started Monday.
''Lightning is suspected, but that has not been confirmed,'' Standish said.
It burned primarily in mixed conifer trees.
Two hand-crews and two engines were on the fire Monday night. Two additional engines and the helicopter were also requested for assistance Tuesday.
Two small fires were quickly contained in the Gila National Forest in southwestern New Mexico during the past weekend.
Both blazes were sparked by camp fires, officials said.
The McComas Fire was reported Saturday morning about four miles northwest of Silver City. It was contained at more than an acre.
The Cattleguard Fire was reported Friday afternoon and quickly extinguished.
Fifteen abandoned campfires have been reported in the Gila National Forest during the last three weeks, said Loretta Benavidez, a fire information officer.
''Every abandoned campfire has a potential to escape. We have a very heavy fuel load of fine grasses, and grasses can easily carry fire and cause it to spread rapidly,'' she said.
