The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, or Cal OES, announced the deployment of firefighting resources to New Mexico in response to ongoing statewide wildfires.
One Type 3 Cal OES strike team is departing on Saturday and expected to arrive in Santa Fe, New Mexico on Sunday.
The strike team consists of five engines — one each from the departments of Ontario, Victorville, Chino Valley, Apple Valley and Rancho Cucamonga — and a Cal OES assistant chief.
Strong winds and dry conditions are contributing to massive wildfires burning throughout New Mexico. As of Friday, three wildfires have burned more than 63,000 acres combined.
The largest of those fires, the Cooks Peak Fire, has burned 55,978 acres and is 54% contained.
The Cerra Pelado Fire has consumed 7,258 acres and is 15% contained, while the newly-started Water Fire in the Gila National Forest burned 700 acres in less than two hours and has no containment.
Cal OES continues to monitor operations in New Mexico and requests for additional Emergency Management Assistance Compact, or EMAC, assistance.
EMAC — which includes the participation of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands — is a nationally recognized mutual-aid system that provides the foundation for states to request and send resources across their borders when impacted by a disaster.