PHOENIX — Some residents evacuated because of wildfires in Arizona and New Mexico were allowed to return to their homes Saturday as firefighters battled winds and hot weather to try to keep more houses, dry forests and stretches of high desert from being consumed by the flames.
With summer rains weeks away, forecasters said Southwest fire crews would have little relief from the hot, windy weather that has dogged them for days. More high- wind warnings and fire weather watches were on tap for many areas through the weekend.
In eastern Arizona, residents of Alpine were allowed to return to their homes Saturday after being forced out for more than two weeks, but Greer residents remained evacuated by the largest wildfire in Arizona’s history.
By late afternoon, authorities were evacuating the town of Luna, N.M., as a precaution as strong easterly winds pushed the Wallow fire over the New Mexico border.
The Wallow fire has consumed about 782 square miles, a little more than 500,000 acres, and more than 4,500 firefighters were trying to stop its advance. The blaze last week exceeded a 2002 fire that burned 732 square miles. Despite its size, the latest fire has destroyed just 32 homes and four rental cabins.
