Black Fire in the Gila National Forest, New Mexico is Now the State's Second Largest Wildfire: Almost 300,000 Acres Burnt

New Mexico is still being engulfed by two of the most intense wildfires in its recorded history, scorching hundreds of thousands of acres.

The Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire has been the largest wildfire.

Now, the Black Fire has become the state's second largest wildfire, according to wildfire officials.

Since the United States spring season in March, multiple wildfires have gripped New Mexico and other states into a standstill, with local authorities issuing evacuation orders.

While the New Mexico wildfires have been reported to be human-caused, fire weather conditions over recent months have fueled the growth and spread of their blaze.

As the US summer season arrives, extreme heat wave, prolonged drought, and dry conditions characterizes the 2022 wildfire season, which spans from June to August.

In 2021, the so-called Land of Enchantment state recorded hundreds of fires but were by far relatively weaker than the ongoing wildfires being witnessed at the moment.

The drought-stricken region of the southwestern US have been a subject of recent research regarding the increasing threat of increasing temperatures brought by global warming and climate change.

These threats include the elevating frequency, size, and intensity of wildfires in the country.

New Mexico Black Fire

(Photo : PAUL BUCK/AFP via Getty Images)

The Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire northeast of Santa Fe has set ablaze more than 318,000 acres of land, while the Black Fire in the Gila National Forest has burnt approximately 298,440 acres as of Thursday, 9 June, according to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group, as cited by CNN.

Emergency crews are still attempting to contain the said wildland fires, which are far from a complete containment and are reportedly expected to spread more this coming weekend.

Both fires have surpassed the previous record-holder of the largest wildfire in Mexico in 2012, when the Whitewater-Baldy Fire scorched 297,845 acres.

Also Read: New Mexico Wildfire Spreads North, Popular Mountain Resort at Risk

New Mexico Wildfires

The Government of New Mexico, reported on its website that aside from the massive wildfires, there are other active fires and their locations across the state with the following:

Cooks Peak Fire, north of Ocate
Cerro Pelado Fire, 7 miles east of the Jemez Springs
Water Fire, 1 mile west of East Canyon
McBride Fire, located in Gavilan Canyon
Skiles 429 Fire, northeast of Clayton
House Fire, 1 mile west of East Canyon

On an April 22 report, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the declaration of state of emergency for the counties of Colfax, Lincoln, San Miguel and Valencia.

On April 6, the Calf Canyon Fire has engulfed the state, which it later on merged with the Hermits Peak Fire.

The Black Fire began on May 13.

Initial investigations into the cause of the fires were conducted since they were previously thought to be a cause of fire weather conditions, which pertain to hot weather, soil moisture, humid air, and strong winds.

During the said period, the National Weather Service (NWS) and its Storm Prediction Center (SPC) have been issuing multiple weather forecasts, alerts, and warnings pertaining to the said fire-triggering conditions.