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CNN Live Sunday

Interview With Fire Information Officer James Mason

Aired March 24, 2002 - 17:01   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.
KATE SNOW, CNN ANCHOR: First up this hour, those wildfires burning in New Mexico. A drought has been plaguing the region in recent months, leaving groves of trees and grasslands very dry and highly combastable. For the latest on the blazes and firefighting efforts, I am now joined now on the phone by James Mason, fire information officer for the city of Ruadoso (ph), New Mexico. Mr. Mason, thanks for joining us.

JAMES MASON, FIRE INFORMATION OFFICER: No problem, Kate.

SNOW: Start by telling us the latest. We understand that some more people have been evacuated from their homes.

MASON: Right now we have two fires burning in the region. One is south of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) east, which is a number of miles from town. And it started on the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) reservation. That is the large fire that had consumed approximately 12,000 acres. Some evacuations in a sparsely populated rural area have occurred there, in the Alamo canyon. The fire where we've had the homes lost was the Kokapali (ph) fire, which is about six to eight miles north and east of town, and that fire is approximately 600 acres right now. We have 30 confirmed homes lost.

SNOW: We're seeing some pictures where you can actually make out homes being engulfed in flames. Are any other homes in danger now?

MASON: We still have a threat of flare-ups from the existing burn areas, where we still have burning material. The winds are quite strong again today, and so our main concern right now is that we do not get another flare-up that gets away from us. Luckily, we do have firefighters on scene now, and as these occurrences -- will be able to combat them readily.

SNOW: You have been able to get the people out, right?

MASON: Yes. Yes. We had a very smooth evacuation yesterday. Consisted in the Kokapali (ph) area of about 150 homes, we say upward of 1,300 people may have been evacuated total, but we've only (UNINTELLIGIBLE) approximately 300 with relief agencies.

SNOW: I know the area well. James Mason, we wish you the very best out there fighting those fires.

MASON: Thank you very much. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com