Serving Eastern New Mexico and West Texas
File photo File photo Curry County Extension Agent Stan Jones said an April 17 wildfire that burned 71,000 acres of south Curry County is expected to cost the agricultural community $16 million just this year with an estimated $40 million over time, according to an economic feasibility study. A dry, windy spring created conditions for […]
CNJ staff Melrose Fire Chief Kenny Jacobs said Saturday’s fire near McAlister, nicknamed the Windy Fire, burned between 30,000 and 32,000 acres. Initial estimates put that number around 25,000 acres. Jacobs said two fires started around the same time Saturday, both beginning near highways. Jacobs said a cause for the fires is unknown. He said […]
Thomas Garcia The smell of smoke and the light haze reported in several areas in Quay County Tuesday was from the Wallow wildfire in eastern Arizona, according to Tucumcari Fire Chief Mike Cherry. Cherry said he was in Albuquerque, where he said the smoke conditions were strong. The Wallow fire has burned more than 300,000 […]
Argen Duncan: Freedom New Mexico Alisha and Steve Robertson sit on the wall of what used to be their master bedroom in front of the mobile home they plan to live in while rebuilding their house. Sunday’s fire destroyed their home, but they said they have received a lot of help and love from the […]
Alisa Boswell A fire that broke out nearly 10 miles west of Crossroads on Saturday afternoon burned nearly 25,000 acres of land. Milnesand Fire Department Chief John Mohon said the fire, aided by winds of 45 to 55 miles per hour, jumped Highway 258, came close to Highway 206 and missed Milnesand by about one […]
Freedom New Mexico: Alisa Boswell Travis Reynoles of the Texico Fire Department puts his gear on Saturday night at the Milnesand Fire Department as he prepares to be called out to a grass fire which started 15 miles north of Tatum. The fire was estimated to have burned 500 acres. Freedom New Mexico Wind-whipped wildfires […]
Freedom New Mexico: Alisa Boswell Firefighter Cody Padgett of the Portales Fire Department hoses down some newly erupted flames from one of three fires in Roosevelt County along New Mexico Highway 70 Tuesday afternoon while Firefighter Mike Chaves drives. The three fires burned about 2,500 acres along the highway. Freedom New Mexico Three grass fires […]
The Associated Press ALBUQUERQUE — Residents were returning home Monday after officials lifted evacuation orders forced by a wind-driven wildfire that burned five houses, drove people from a racetrack casino, and knocked out power in part of a southern New Mexico resort area. Barriers into neighborhoods in the Ruidoso Downs area were lifted at 3 […]
CNJ staff photo: Sharna Johnson Officials estimate 4,000 acres of Curry County grassland burned during a Sunday fire north of Clovis. Firefighters from multiple departments worked more than 11 hours to extinguish the blaze, the cause of which has not yet been determined. Sharna Johnson About 4,000 acres of grassland burned north of Clovis on […]
Firefighters in Roosevelt County had their hands full Monday afternoon with three fires officials said they believed were caused by lightning strikes. The first two fires ignited near Floyd and burned a combined 40 acres. The third and larger fire burn The Dora Fire Department arrives Monday at a grass fire near Roosevelt roads 12 […]
CNJ staff Investigators are working to identify a charred body found Tuesday in the sleeper cab of a burning semi truck near Tucumcari. The state medical investigator will determine identity and cause of death, according to a press release from the New Mexico Department of Public Safety. Motor Transportation police officers responded to a report […]
Freedom New Mexico: Argen Duncan Firefighters, from left, C.J. Watson, Mike Clark and Michael Mapp keep an eye on the still-burning ruins of county resident Weldon Carmichael’s house after a grassfire destroyed it Thursday. The fire burned 1,300 acres, but no injuries were reported By Argen Duncan: Freedom New Mexico A grassfire southwest of Causey […]
CNJ Staff Photo: Liliana Castillo Clovis firefighter Sheryl Chavez answers questions from Kendra Aucutt’s kindergarten class at Zia Elementary School after a presentation from the fire department about fire safety. By Sharna Johnson: CNJ staff writer Their hands clasped, two little girls skipped and twirled beside their classmates chanting, “Stop-drop-and-roll,” while their teacher Kendra Aucutt […]
Freedom New Mexico: Casey Peacock Portales Fire Department personnel travel down railroad tracks Wednesday along U.S. 70 spraying smoldering railroad ties. The smoldering ties resulted from the grass fire that burned through the area. By Karl Terry: Freedom New Mexico A day after an out-of-control grass fire ran for better than seven miles east of […]
By Tony Parra: Freedom Newspapers Lightning strikes caused havoc Sunday, starting more than 12 fires in Roosevelt County that burned more than 24,000 acres, according to local firefighters. There were no injuries or damaged structures reported because of the grass fires that occurred near Elida, Floyd, Arch, Milnesand, Highway and Crossroads. Firefighters from Roosevelt and […]
By Ned Cantwell: State coulumnist This is a wonderful time of year for civics students. They get to see how the system works here in New Mexico. Here’s how it works. We pay tax when we fill the tank, earn a paycheck, or eat a meal at a restaurant. For the test at the end […]
By David Stevens: CNJ Editor Police warned us in September 2003. They presented a petition to city commissioners alleging Clovis is “one of the most dangerous places in the state to live.” Mostly, we waved them off. They were just a bunch of drama queens, we told ourselves, their credibility in question because of their […]
An unoccupied home west of Floyd was destroyed during Wednesday’s fire. (Freedom Newspapers: Leslie Spence) By Tony Parra: Freedom Newspapers FLOYD — “You could fit everything in two half-gallon buckets.” That’s how L.A. Davis of Floyd summarized his family’s loss following a devastating fire that swept across his property on Wednesday. Davis said their three-bedroom […]
Clyde Davis: Local Columnist What do a media professional, a hospital counselor, a fire dept. employee, and a law enforcement officer have in common? The first two I have the privilege to regard as my friends; the last two I haven’t known very long, or met only briefly. What is obvious is that they all […]
By Kevin Wilson: Freedom Newspapers Roosevelt County authorities are searching for a blue 1997 Ford truck in connection with human remains found in a burned car. District Attorney Matthew Chandler said the initial investigation showed two bodies in the trunk of the car, which was found about 8 a.m. Thursday on a dirt road a […]
