COYOTE, N.M. (AP) — A raging wildfire in northern New Mexico's Jemez Mountains has grown to more than five square miles and is sending smoke 75 miles away toward Albuquerque.
Fire information officer John Helmich said the lightning-sparked Diego Fire burning nine miles southwest Coyote is still expanding and remained zero percent contained Tuesday.
The inferno is burning in mixed conifer forest with many dead or downed trees, and officials say groups of trees catch fire at a time.
The blaze on Monday made a run to the southeast, resulting in officers going door to door to ask residents of the sparsely populated area to evacuate.
Officials could not immediately say how many families were affected by the evacuations in the community of Jarosa and the surrounding area.