Forest fires spreading in New Mexico; Officials allow burns to clear overgrowth

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - A fire in the Chama Wilderness of the Santa Fe National Forest burned 220 acres, helping to clear out unwanted trees and undergrowth.

Santa Fe National Forest spokesman Tom Mott said the fire flared up along its southwest corner late Thursday, when it burned through heavy pine stands and mixed conifer in an area about five miles northwest of Abiquiu Lake.

But officials were confident the blaze - which reached 220 acres by late Friday night - would actually benefit the wilderness area.

``There are things we want it to do and if we are successful, we will allow it to grow to about 600 acres,'' Mott said. ``We took advantage of the lightning and are working with it.''

Lightning strikes also ignited two fires in the Gila National Forest in southwest New Mexico, and those blazes, too, were being allowed to burn.

The Carol and Border fires were burning along the New Mexico-Arizona border in the Blue Range Wilderness. Alan Beaty, a spokesman for the Gila, said the two fires had burned a combined 50 acres by late Friday.

``They meet our criteria for a prescribed burn program,'' Beaty said. ``It will reduce fuels so we don't get a catastrophic fire in there.''

Beaty said the fires were burning in ponderosa pine, mixed conifer and oak brush. He said the fires were expected to burn into each other and grow in size to an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 acres, depending on weather conditions.

Six other fires started by lightning in the Santa Fe National Forest had been contained, Mott said.