There's a red flag warning in effect for much of southern and southeastern New Mexico and a fire weather watch right now posted for eastern and northeastern New Mexico that's likely to change to a red flag warning as humidities drop, winds pick up and temperatures rise to critical levels, according to the National Weather Service.

It's not just an idle threat, as reports come in from southern and eastern New Mexico of small, unauthorized fires quickly got out of hand, in once case destroying a couple of mobile homes near Las Cruces and in another burning more than 1,000 acres between Clovis and Melrose.

An elderly Dona Ana County man has been cited for a petty misdemeanor in connection with a grass fire that got out of hand on Tuesday and destroyed two trailers, according to the Las Cruces Sun-News.

Melvin Calhoun, 87, was cited for not having a permit to burn grass next to his home, which spread underneath his own single-wide mobile home and a double-wide trailer next door, which were both declared total losses, the Sun-News said.

And in Curry County, a fire started by a resident burning trash destroyed more than 1,000 acres of grassland between Clovis and Melrose Wednesday before firefighters from four departments wer able to bring the blaze under control, the Clovis News Journal reported.

The fire was located about a half mile north of U.S. 60/84 near St. Vrain, the News Journal said.

Curry County commissioners on Tuesday voted to continue a countywide ban on most open fires because of the dry conditions, with a first violation punishable by a $50 fine, the paper reported.

Undersheriff Wesley Walter told the News Journal that Curry County deputies are still investigating the fire and will determine whether charges will be filed.

Three other fires burned more than 200 acres of grass in Chaves County Wednesday night, according to a report on KOAT-TV.

KOAT reported this morning that a Chaves County fire was a controlled burn that got out of hand.

Crews contained the blazes but were hampered by strong wind that gusted to 52 mph, Action 7 News reported.

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