Wildfires

New Mexico Wildfires - USA

A blustering blaze burning in southern New Mexico's Gila National Forest has swelled to 158 square miles as more than 700 firefighters work to keep up amid a record heat wave.

Fire officials said Friday that the Silver Fire continued to advance primarily on the northwestern edge of the blaze. Eastern winds fueled flames on the west flank and pushed smoked over nearby towns.

The inferno is still only 20 percent contained and burning 20 miles northeast of Silver City.

No new evacuations have been ordered, however, some area roads and highways remained closed.

Meanwhile, crews in northern New Mexico continued to battle Friday a nearly 16-square-mile wildfire in the Pecos Wilderness. Officials say that blaze was moving closer to the headwaters of the Pecos River.

Wildfires Continue In Southwest Alaska

The Lime Hills Fire received much some needed rain over the past couple days, up to 6 tenths of an inch. The fire shrank 46 thousand acres over 24 hours, according to the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center. It now stands at about 220 thousand acres.