TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, N.M. — Colorado isn't the only state ravaged by wildfire. Hot and dry conditions have also sparked significant blazes throughout New Mexico. The fastest growing scorcher is the Silver Fire, which is consuming the southeastern edge of the Gila Wilderness.
Nearby, residents in tiny town of Hillsboro gawked at a smoke plume rising nearly six miles into the sky Thursday morning. Jim Laupan, known around town as "Cactus Jim" was one of them.
He and others have been assisting fire evacuees from the neighboring town of Kingston. The Silver Fire is burning less than a mile away from there.
"When this fire started up the other night it is amazing how fast it came in on those people," said Laupan.
The Silver Fire ignited after a lightning strike last Friday and tore through a landscape that hadn't seen a major blaze in more than 100 years. Larry Cosper is the district ranger for the Black Range.
"It's rough, rugged, incredibly beautiful. It's probably one of the most untouched pieces of landscape in the southwest, " said Cosper.
Cosper is optimistic firefighters can keep the fire from damaging any significant structures. Thursday morning the Silver fire grew to nearly 19,000 acres.
