MANZANO — A second consecutive day of fierce wind hampered firefighters battling an 11,000 acre-plus Manzano Mountain blaze that was on the verge of being controlled when wind whipped it outside the fire lines.
The Trigo Fire had been 95 percent contained at 4,500 acres before a spot fire flared on its north side Wednesday afternoon and gusts of more than 50 mph drove the flames about 3 miles to the northeast.
Officials on Thursday estimated the acreage at 11,368, or almost 18 square miles. U.S. Forest Service public information officer Peter D'Aguanni said the blaze grew throughout the day with strong winds, and some structures were burned.
He said, however, fire crews were not able to get in to see what had burned.
Residents of the small communities of Torreon and Tajique and surrounding areas — 400 to 500 people — were asked to evacuate, he said. A shelter was set up at the community center in Estancia.
Forest officials who met with residents at the community center Thursday afternoon faced frustration from people who wanted to know whether their property had burned. D'Aguanni said crews tried to go in several times to get a count of what had been destroyed but were pushed back each time.
D'Aguanni said forest officials understand residents' frustration, but added, "We're not going to lose lives to count buildings. We would never put a life in harm's way to count a building. We won't even put a life in harm's way to save a building.''
Wind kept air drops of water and fire retardant grounded Thursday afternoon, he said.
"The wind is just brutal,'' D'Aguanni said.
The area remained under a red flag warning until 8 p.m. D'Aguanni said high winds are expected again Friday.
Gov. Bill Richardson ordered the activation of the state Emergency Operation Center to monitor the Trigo Fire and dangerous fire conditions around the state and to offer help.
State Forestry, state police, the Livestock Board and the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department all are assisting on the scene of the Trigo Fire.
Richardson, who received a briefing on firefighting efforts Thursday afternoon, said it's clear wind will prevent full use of firefighting resources for a couple of days.
The human-caused fire began April 15 in the Cibola National Forest. The blaze burned nine weekend or summer homes and several outbuildings last week.
Before Wednesday's flareup, crews had been working on rehabilitating some of the burned areas on the fire's east and west ends.
In southeastern New Mexico, gusts up to 45 mph also pushed a fire that scorched some 45 square miles of grassland Wednesday northwest of Tatum.
Flames sped toward the New Mexico-Texas line before firefighters stopped it at N.M. 125, said Dan Ware, state Forestry Division spokesman. Crews were mopping up hot spots Thursday.
The fire burned one structure, which was not a house, Ware said.
Investigators were trying to determine a cause of the fire.
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