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CNN Live Saturday

Wildfires in New Mexico Fueled by Gusting Winds

Aired March 23, 2002 - 22:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Well, we begin in New Mexico tonight where one community is battling for its very survival. Massive wildfires fueled by gusting winds are raging through one neighborhood after another there. In the town of Ruidoso, a state of emergency has now been declared. Hundreds of firefighters are on the front lines there. Also, Lisa Reyes with our Albuquerque affiliate KRQE is joining us now with the very latest -- Lisa.

LISA REYES, KRQE REPORTER: Catherine, more than 40 homes have been evacuated tonight. Over a 1,000 acres are still burning. We spoke with a couple. They tell us they approached a neighbor who happened to be burning weeds in their backyard and what happened was 55-mile winds made that fire over a 1,000 acres. People have been forced from their homes. That couple had to evacuate their branch of their house, grabbed a few pictures and started knocking on some doors. They were calling people, trying to let me know what was going on, but now, they don't even know if they have a home to come back to.

They actually approached our chopper pilot who took some of these pictures you're probably looking at right now to see if maybe they can find their house in the blaze. They don't know if it's either been burned down or if it's still standing. And we're going to try to help them out the best that we can.

We do not know how many people have been evacuated just yet. We know that the area of Alto, Deer Valley and Rancho Ruidoso are the most effected. They're also the most expensive homes in the area and also, seasonal homes. So people who come and visit here during the summer months may not be aware that their house has burned down.

Catherine...

CALLAWAY: All right, thank you.

REYES: ... back to you.

CALLAWAY: Thank you, Lisa. She's with our affiliate KRQE. Thank you, Lisa. Also, we want to recap now. There have 40 homes destroyed in this fire. There are at least a 1,000 people have been evacuated. We'll keep following it and give you the latest from New Mexico when it's available.

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