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New Mexico

Efforts to battle fire in New Mexico aided by thunderstorms

Wildfire has burned more than 260 New Mexico homes

Julia Musto By Julia Musto Fox News
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Efforts to battle New Mexico's largest-ever wildfire were aided Monday by thunderstorms rolling through the region. 

According to the U.S. Forest Service, the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon fires have scorched 299,565 acres thus far. 

NEW MEXICO WILDFIRE SCORCHES NEARLY 300,000 ACRES, BECOMES LARGEST WILDFIRE IN STATE HISTORY

The fires were 26% contained and 2,094 personnel remained on the lines in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range south of Taos. 

More than 260 homes have burned and more evacuations were prompted over the weekend.

  • Satellite image of the Hermits Peak fire in New Mexico
    Image 1 of 5

    This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows an overview of the Hermits Peak wildfire, in Las Vegas, New Mexico, on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. (Satellite image copyright 2022 Maxar Technologies via AP)

  • Wildfire smoke over New Mexico's Upper Rio Grande valley
    Image 2 of 5

    A haze of wildfire smoke hangs over the Upper Rio Grande valley behind the mesa-top city of Los Alamos, N.M., on Thursday, May 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee)

  • A firefighter works on New Mexico's Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire Complex
    Image 3 of 5

    A firefighter works on New Mexico's Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires (Credit: U.S. Forest Service)

  • A firefighter works on New Mexico's Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon Fire Complex
    Image 4 of 5

    A firefighter works on New Mexico's Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires (Credit: U.S. Forest Service)

  • Satellite image of the Hermits Peak fire in New Mexico
    Image 5 of 5

    This satellite image provided by Maxar Technologies shows the active fire lines of the Hermits Peak wildfire, in Las Vegas, New Mexico, on Wednesday, May 11, 2022.  (Satellite image copyright 2022 Maxar Technologies via AP)

Aerial attacks also helped about 1,000 firefighters make progress Monday on a large fire west of Santa Fe.

"We haven’t seen rain in a really long time so that’s exciting," San Miguel County Sheriff Chris Lopez told reporters Monday night. 

"It gave us a little bit of a breather," he said.

CALIFORNIA FAMILY THANKS FIREFIGHTERS WHO SAVED AMERICAN FLAG FROM THEIR HOME BEFORE IT WAS DESTROYED

Some lightning sparked a few new small fires, including one around 2.5 miles from Sedona, Arizona. 

Fire officials said it had burned less than an acre and that the growth potential was low.

Fires were also burning elsewhere in New Mexico and in Colorado, and Colorado Springs enacted a fire ban.

Fire season off to dangerous start after almost one million acres already burned Video

Burn bans and fire restrictions also have been put in place in around New Mexico in recent weeks.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, more than 4,600 wildland firefighters and support personnel are assigned to incidents. 

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To date, 25,637 wildfires have burned 1.3 million acres this year. 

Scientists and experts say fires are moving faster and burning hotter than ever due to climate change.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Julia Musto is a reporter for Fox News and Fox Business Digital.