Andrew Hay, Adria Malcolm

TIERRA MONTE N.M. (Reuters – A cluster of mansions valued at multi-millions of dollars in southern California was engulfed by wildfires on Thursday as they moved towards the mountain resorts in northern New Mexico.

Orange County officials stated that around 900 homes were evacuated in California’s coastal region. One firefighter sustained injuries when the wildfire burned about 200 acres (81 ha) of Laguna Niguel.

More than 300 New Mexico homes have been damaged by wildfires that started in the early part of last month. Firefighters set up sprinkler systems and tore open fires to save homes and ranches in the area of Angel Fire (a ski resort). This was as westerly winds increased on Thursday.

Crews constructed containment lines in order to prevent the blaze from reaching Black Lake, Angel Fire and the Taos region, which is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Native American Community.

Todd Abel (a leader of the inter-agency firefighting team) stated that red flag conditions were present today.

Residents to the south returned to the wreckage of their homes on the land they had owned since the United States became an area in the middle of the 20th century.

The only thing that was left from Michael Salazar’s Tierra Monte modular home was twisted steel. His greenhouse had survived and melon sprouts were already growing.

Salazar (55), said that his house is not re-buildable in any case, but future generations could work with the resources he has. He said that he doesn’t have insurance, and that a fire started by the federal government.

Partly, the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak fire was started by a U.S. Forest Service prescribed burn that was out of control April 6. After that, the fire merged with another fire. The cause is currently under investigation.

This wildfire is on course to be the biggest in New Mexico history. It has burned more than 259,810 acres (105.141 hectares), which equals about one third of Greater London. It is now at 29% containment.

U.S. President Joe Biden issued an order for federal aid to fire-recovery efforts.