Romero fire now estimated over 100 acres along Corrales bosque
Posted at: 06/20/2012 9:34 PM
| Updated at: 06/20/2012 10:23 PM
By: Danielle Flores, KOB.com
Fire crews continue to battle a fire that is burning in the Corrales bosque and on the Sandia Pueblo.
The Romero fire started around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday on the west side of the river.
Now the fire is estimated at over 100 acres, hopping the river and burning on both the east and west sides of the Rio Grande. Officials said GPS mapping has not yet been completed at this time.
New Mexico State Forestry has reported 30 to 40 structures are being threatened, but no homes or structures are reported lost.
Fire officials said 6 to 7 acres have burned in the Corrales area and roughly 100 acres have burned in Sandia Pueblo.
According to Sandoval County, the west side of the river is 70 percent contained. The east side of the river on Sandia Pueblo remains 0 percent contained.
Emergency crews are working to stop the flames at highway 313 because of gas line concernes on the other side of the road.
While initial reports indicated that Sandia Pueblo was evacuated, no evacuations were officially ordered for the Romero fire. Roadblocks were put in place, keeping residents from returning to their homes because of fire proximity and high volume emergency traffic.
If residents in the area choose to leave their homes, officials warn that they may not be allowed to return. Many places are offering hospitality for residents and livestock. You can find this information by following this link.
Firefighters from the Corrales Fire Department, along with the Sandoval and Bernalillo County fire departments and Albuquerque and Rio Rancho fire departments, have built containment lines and will continue to create burnouts throughout the night.
Fire activity has lessened in the evening hours, but crews are anticipating a shift in winds overnight. The wind would shift fire activity to the west.
Smoke is present and will remain low to the ground overnight. The City of Albuquerque Environmental Health Department is issuing an air quality alert due to the smoke until Thursday at 5 p.m.
All individuals take precautions when outdoors. For more information about the health effects related to smoke from wildfires, click here.
It is still unknown what started the fire.
Stay with KOB.com and KOB Eyewitness News 4 for fire updates.
> Raw Video: Fire burning in bosque
> Balloon Fiesta Park Cam view of Romero fire
 |
Tweet |
|
