Two rapidly expanding wildfires are converging on a village within a tribal reservation in New Mexico, prompting thousands to evacuate.
The South Fork Fire, which started on Monday on Mescalero Apache tribal land, nearly tripled in size overnight, burning almost 14,000 acres by Tuesday morning.
Another fire, the Salt Fire, is burning south of the village of Ruidoso and has consumed nearly 5,000 acres.
Authorities report that both fires are 0% contained.
On Monday evening, officials in Ruidoso, a town of 7,800 residents, urged people to evacuate immediately.
“GO NOW,” said a note on its website and social media. “Do not attempt to gather belongings or protect your home.”
Officials with New Mexico Forestry reported that multiple structures are at risk of destruction, with an “unknown number of structures” already lost.
The fires have led to the partial closure of US Highway 70 south of the village, and the president of the Mescalero Apache has declared a state of emergency to assist with evacuation and firefighting efforts.
Phone outages caused by the fires have created challenges for first responders in Ruidoso, necessitating the relocation of their emergency operations center to handle 911 calls.
Nearby communities have opened shelters for evacuees, and the city of Roswell has made hospital space available for patients evacuating from Ruidoso hospital.
The region has been experiencing a drought for nearly a year, with parts of southeast New Mexico classified as undergoing an “exceptional drought,” the only area in the US with this classification.
Hot and dry weather has fueled the fires, with conditions expected to remain the same on Tuesday, including winds blowing at 15 to 20 mph (24 to 32 kilometers per hour).
Officials in Ruidoso announced plans for “massive air attacks” during the day to help extinguish the flames.
The cause of the fires remains unknown, and an investigation is ongoing.
Ruidoso, home to thousands, is also a tourist attraction due to its trails, parks, and proximity to Lincoln National Forest.
Meanwhile, in California, firefighters are battling another wildfire north of Los Angeles, which has burned over 15,000 acres and forced hundreds to evacuate.
The Post Fire is 24% contained as of Tuesday morning, according to the Cal Fire website.
The wildfires coincide with the first heatwave of the season affecting parts of the US.
Over 70 million Americans, roughly one in five people, are under heat alerts on Tuesday. Some cities, including Chicago, have surpassed previous record high temperatures for this time of year.
Heat warnings have also been issued in four Canadian provinces, as much of the continent is now gripped by the heatwave.
Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events to human-caused climate change, driven by activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation.
The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that heatwaves have become more frequent and intense globally since 1950.
While wildfires naturally occur in many regions, the IPCC explains that heatwaves contribute to conditions that make wildfires more likely to spread by leading to longer droughts.