Gov. Bill Richardson to survey Ojo Feliz Fire damage today.

Gov. Bill Richardson will take to the skies this afternoon in a helicopter survey of areas burned in the Ojo Feliz Fire near Mora and afterward participate in a briefing by state Forestry Division officials who are in charge of fighting the blaze that spread to nearly 10,000 acres since Wednesday afternoon.

"I have directed state agencies to provide whatever assistance is needed to fight the fire, assist in any evacuations that may be necessary, and help the residents of Mora County deal with this disaster," Richardson said in a news release from the Governor's Office.

The fire, which is burning through grass and ponderosa pines, was first spotted Wednesday on a ranch 11 miles north of Mora, then moved quickly into the pine trees, jumping from tree to tree, state forestry officials told The Associated Press.

The cause of the fire, which is still 0 percent contained, remains unknown, and the villages of Ojo Feliz and Los Hueros as well as several area ranches have been evacuated. An emergency evacuation center has been set up in the Mora High School gymnasium.

There are 250 firefighters currently assigned to the fire, with the following resources deployed: two heavy air tankers, two Type 1 helicopters, one Type II helicopter, a single-engine air tanker, 20 wildland and structure fire engines, four water tender trucks, four bulldozers, two Hot Shot crews on the ground and two others on the way, according to the governor's news release.

6:30am -- Ojo Feliz Fire Grows: Mora County wildfire jumps to 9,000 to 10,000 acres.

The fast-moving blaze that had forced the evacuation of at least two communities in northern New Mexico was still zero percent contained at this hour, according to Dan Ware, public information coordinator for the state Forestry Division.

Bulldozer crews had formed a line along the northern edge of the fire overnight, but there was no containment yet, Ware told ABQjournal.com.

Overnight mapping showed that the Ojo Feliz Fire had consumed from 9,000 to 10,000 acres, Ware said.
N.M. 442 remained closed between La Cueva and Ocate, and an emergency shelter had been set up in Mora for those who were forced from their homes.

Mora County Manager Frank Trujillo told KOB-TV this morning that three homes in Ojo Feliz had been destroyed.

Residents of Ojo Feliz and Los Hueros as well as nearby ranches had been evacuated, but it was uncertain whether the community of Hidden Lake had been evacuated, Ware said.

The cause of the fire, which was first seen on a Mora County ranch, remains unknown.

Here's the latest on the fire from The Associated Press.

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