The Blue 2 fire near Ruidoso is almost 90% contained

Firefighting efforts continued Tuesday against a lightning-sparked fire that broke out in May and burned more than 7,500 acres near Ruidoso, firefighters said.

The Blue 2 Fire was 88% contained as crews on Monday identified an ash pit on Buck Mountain as a source of smoke that was previously visible in the Ruidoso area, according to an update on the NM Fire Info.com website.

Ash pits are created when a fire begins to consume underground fuels such as wood, grass and brush. The pits pose dangers to firefighters because they create a space filled with superheated ash, often indistinguishable from the surface, cited on the website.

Unmanned aircraft will continue to monitor the area for heat sources as emergency lines have been constructed to surround an uncontained perimeter within the fire zone.