A wildfire in Torrance County continued to grow Sunday, keeping dozens of residents on standby for possible evacuations.
Officials said the Deer Canyon Fire, located south of Mountainair, had burned 117 acres. The fire started Saturday afternoon, prompting evacuation orders for some residents in the area.
Among those forced to leave was Deer Canyon resident Vincent Versage, who said uncertainty about the fate of his home has weighed heavily on him. “You just hope that when you get to your home that it is still standing,” Versage said. “We just finished building two years ago, so overcoming that huge hurdle would be difficult if it were totally decimated and we had to rebuild again.”
Versage said he evacuated with his RV and truck. He has since been clearing them of combustible materials as firefighters work to contain the blaze. “It’s a minor inconvenience,” Versage said.
The New Mexico Forestry Division said the Deer Canyon fire started from lightning and grew to 117 acres. “So we saw some increase in fire activity today under the extremely dry, extremely warm temperatures that we’re continuing to see,” said Emery Veilleux, Communications Coordinator, NM Forestry Division.
Veillux also confirmed there are no structures.
Tunner Inn and RV Park, along with other businesses, offered a place for Deer Canyon residents, including Chuck Dinsdale. According to him, he had never seen a fire like this in the last 12 years. He recognized it was real because he could read the wind shifts, and the Mesa nearby caused the directions to change in a way he understood, Dinsdale said.
Officials have lifted evacuations, but residents remain cautious.
Residents are now making their way back home. But they must show proof of residency. The community holds the set status, meaning residents should be ready to go home at a moment’s notice.