6,000 Evacuate as Wildfires Continue Spreading in New Mexico

On Tuesday, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham confirmed that about 6,000 residents have been forced to evacuate as large wildfires continue spreading in the southwestern of the state.

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"I have families who don't know what the next day looks like," Lujan Grisham said, urging U.S. President Joe Biden to declare a disaster so as to free up federal financial assistance.

Hundreds of homes have been destroyed since large wildfires started in mid-April and merged afterwards in the northeast of the state, and the number of burnt structures would likely go much higher. The wildfire season in the region normally starts in May or June but this year it came dangerously early.

New Mexico in April has already seen a year's worth of fire activity, CNN Meteorologist Monica Garrett said, citing dire fire weather and ongoing megadrought that left no moisture in the soil.

"The blaze burning near the community of Las Vegas in northeastern New Mexico is the biggest wildfire in the U.S. and has charred more than 188 square miles. Fire officials said they expect it to keep growing," Las Cruces Sun News reported on Monday.

A dozen uncontained large fires have burned about 1,000 square km in five U.S. states, including New Mexico, according to data released by the National Interagency Fire Center.

Wildfires have become a year-round threat in the drought-stricken U.S. West, and they are moving faster and burning hotter than ever due to climate change, said an ABC News report, citing scientists and fire experts.