ALBUQUERQUE, NM (AP) – The devastation caused by the largest forest fire in the United States has been devastating for thousands of people and their lives have been permanently disrupted and changed, the New Mexico governor said Tuesday after reviewing the damage. caused by a district.
Governor Michel Lujan Grisham met with homeowners and local officials while visiting homes in two small villages in northern New Mexico that have been consumed by fire over the past few weeks after two planned government operations aimed at the woods grew. .
The first -term Democrat is preparing for a visit Saturday with President Joe Biden, who plans to stop briefly in New Mexico to learn about bush fires and recovery efforts.
The largest fire burned 500 square miles (1,295 square kilometers) in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, located at the southern tip of the Rocky Mountains. Many critics have criticized rural residents for the federal government’s role in causing the fire.
The governor confirmed on Tuesday that several hundred houses had been consumed by the fire. This number is likely to increase as inspections and documentation continue.
“I first saw irreparable damage from historic homes and livelihoods lost in the fire,” the governor said in a statement following his tour. “But the resilience of the new Mexicans was also thought of: I saw that the neighbors helped their neighbors with the same compassion that new Mexicans always show in difficult times.”
The governor also found out where the recovery aid is and where the shortfalls remain.
Lujan Grisham and other senior federal government officials have demanded to cover 100% of the restoration costs. Some have also called for an independent investigation into fire protocols established by the U.S. Forest Service, although the agency has suspended those operations pending its own investigation.
While New Mexico is suffering from fire weather this year, much of the West is particularly hot, dry and windy. The forecast for the rest of the season is not good, with drought and hot weather caused by climate change exacerbating the fire risk in the region’s covered forests.
The National Interagency Fire Center reported Tuesday that thousands of firefighters were working to put out eight large fires that burned more than 1,130 square miles (2,927 square kilometers). Five of these fires were in New Mexico and Alaska, Arizona and Colorado each.
In Alaska, crews are working to protect several structures from fire in western Talcitna.
Source: Huffpost
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.