Fire crews have been able to contain the East Fork Fire after it burned about 2.5 acres three miles northeast of Jemez Springs.
The lightning-caused wildfire, which was first discovered on Saturday, was contained Monday afternoon after a helicopter helped with water drops, the Santa Fe Nation Forest Service says.
“They continue to construct fire line around the fire’s edge to keep the flames from spreading along the ground,” said Donna Nemeth, a Forest Service spokeswoman, in a news release. “They are also mopping up around the existing line to make it more secure.”
But officials say expected high winds could escalate both the fire and smoke activity later Monday afternoon.
Meanwhile, near Taos crews responded to a three-acre fire in the Carson National Forest on Sunday afternoon.
According to the Carson National Forest, the Petaca fire was burning five miles west of Servilleta, a town northwest of Taos. A news release stated that crews as of Monday morning were working on a hand line around the fire, and hope to call it contained later Monday.
Firefighters from Carson National Forest and the Santa Fe National Forest were working on the blaze in addition to crews from Red River Chasers. Officials believe lightning caused the blaze.
Also on Monday, strong winds fanned the flames of a wildfire burning in the Chuska Mountains near the New Mexico-Arizona border.
Fire officials were conducting reconnaissance missions to get a better handle on the fire’s size, but Navajo Nation officials said more than 3 square miles have been charred since the fire was first reported Friday.
The Assayii Lake Fire is burning about 10 miles northeast of the tribal community of Navajo. It has forced the closure of two roads in the area and the resulting plumes of smoke have reached southern Colorado.
Authorities were also warning ranchers and others to stay out of the area since the fire’s behavior was so erratic. They said the fire has been running, tree tops have been torching and spotting has been reported ahead of the blaze.
More than 250 firefighters and support personnel have been assigned to the fire.
Due to the unfavorable weather conditions, crews were scouting the area in search of locations where they could build fire lines without being in the direct path of the flames.
Forecasters with the National Weather Service warned of critical fire weather through Wednesday. They said more strong winds, high temperatures and low humidity levels could be expected.
The Assayii Lake Fire was believed to be human-caused, but authorities said the investigation is ongoing.
State and federal land managers have been warning people to be careful because of the dry conditions that have enveloped the state over the past four years. Moderate to severe drought currently covers more than 95 percent of the state, including portions of the Navajo Nation in northwestern New Mexico.