Wildfires in Colorado & New Mexico

Blazes in Colorado and New Mexico have destroyed property and resulted in scores of families seeking shelter

Blazes in Colorado and New Mexico have destroyed property and resulted in scores of families seeking shelter
Emergency crews battled wildfires in Colorado and New Mexico on Sunday as flames licked through parched forests, forcing scores of evacuations.

A blaze in northern Colorado had grown to nearly 22 square miles by mid-morning, while a fire in southern New Mexico covered an area of around 10,000 acres.

Both have damaged property and forced numerous evacuations, officials said. Although figures were not immediately available.

The smell of smoke drifted into the Denver area and was detected as far away as parts central Nebraska, western Kansas and Texas.

The Colorado wildfire was burning in the mountainous Paradise Park area about 15 miles west of Fort Collins

Officials didn’t specify how many residents had evacuated but said they had sent out more than 1,500 emergency notifications urging people to be prepared to evacuate if necessary. About 500 people had checked in at two Red Cross shelters.

Law officers went door to door to alert people in the evacuation area on Saturday, but officials were worried that not everyone got the word.

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