Indios Fire: Approximately 4,844 acres burned

COYOTE, NM — The Indios Fire in northern New Mexico burned approximately 4,844 acres Tuesday, up from 4,210 acres Monday.

The increase in acreage from Monday to Tuesday is less than from Sunday to Monday, when the fire grew from 2,619 acres to 4,210. Officials say they have increased the number of people working on the fire. 440 people are working on the fire, compared to 292 people on Monday and 229 people on Sunday.

However, crews were unable to contain the fire. However, they try to confine it to a certain area using natural barriers. To do this, firefighters remove and mulch vegetation along existing roads and construct handlines to connect and construct a continuous boundary to limit the spread of the fire.

Crews also placed a 10,000-gallon portable water tank near the western portion of the fire. They did this to provide a source of water for firefighters to manage the fire.

Lightning started the fire last Sunday, May 19, seven miles north of Coyote. Eight days later, Southwest Area Complex Incident Management Team 4 responded to the fire. Officials say a complex team is bringing additional resources and management capabilities to bring the fire under control.

The fire's primary fuel source is wood and crews are working in a steep, rugged area of ​​the Chama River Canyon Wilderness. They say the topography is also what caused the fire to grow and spread the way it did.

The weather over the next few days will be characterized by higher temperatures and lower humidity. Then mid-level clouds will develop over the mountains to provide a small chance of precipitation on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Meanwhile, smoke will be a problem in the neighboring town of Abiquiu. They advise you to take precautions if you have health conditions, such as breathing problems or heart disease, that make you more vulnerable to the adverse health effects of smoke.

In the north Albuquerque Valley, you can expect moderate air quality Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon as smoke disperses from the fire. Santa Fe will also see moderate air quality Tuesday evening and Wednesday afternoon, while Taos will see it over the next two days.

There is an interactive smoke map you can view here to see the latest smoke conditions in your area.

The Santa Fe National Forest is also under emergency closure due to the Indios Fire. You can find the full closure order and map here.