By Andrew Hay

TAOS N.M. (Reuters] – An intense wind blowing towards mountain villages is threatening to destroy hundreds of homes in New Mexico’s northern New Mexico, officials stated.

Fears that a Friday windstorm would force the flames into nearby communities, in which Mora Valley is located around 40-miles (64 kms) northeast Santa Fe were causing panic among thousands of residents who were ready to evacuate.

In a video briefing, Carl Schwope stated that “Tomorrow could be another very destructive date.”

This blaze is one of the most powerful and destructive wildfires currently burning in the Southwest United States. According to scientists, the fires have become more extensive and started earlier in the year because of climate change.

Homes that were destroyed along the road 94 to Mora are gone. There are no traces of their remains. Evacuees fled from a fire that erupted with such speed and fury that they can’t remember what it was like in these agricultural settlements that have been accustomed wildfires.

Officials asked residents to get out of the fire, which has already destroyed hundreds more structures and forced over 10,000 people to evacuate. It has not claimed any lives.

Mora County Sheriff Americk Padilla stated that “pack your bags and make sure your loved ones are close.”

The 25-year drought that decimated logs and branches in the area of home construction has reduced humidity to just 8%. This is resulting in a potential fire hazard.

Friday will see if the firebreaks built by bulldozers as well as those made manually can stop a blaze from reaching 64,395 hectares (26,060 ha) or 101 sq miles (260 km). This makes it one of the fifteen largest fires ever recorded in New Mexico.

Stewart Turner, an analyst in fire behavior, said that “it’s going to be big fire day. It’s going to very, very dangerous fireday.” He predicted wind gusts as high as 50 mph (80 km/h).