New Mexico Forest Fire Up To 23,000 Acres - AP

[hatrack]

CAPITAN, N.M. - As a wildfire exploded in size in rural south-central New Mexico, the governor blasted the federal government for not allowing heavy air tankers to battle the flames.

After the blaze in Lincoln National Forest grew to more than 23,000 acres, Gov. Bill Richardson renewed his call for the Bush administration to allow the tankers to be used to drop fire retardant. The planes were grounded because of safety concerns after two broke up in flight during the 2002 fire season.

More than 300 firefighters spent Tuesday building fire lines around the forest fire in the Capitan Mountains. A dozen cabins and several outbuildings - mostly summer homes - have been destroyed.

"I was shocked to be told this fire could have been held to a single acre if the heavy air tankers had been available at the beginning," Richardson said. "The administration has pulled the safety net out from under states and local communities threatened by wildfire." Sen. Pete Domenici, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee that oversees the U.S. Forest Service, said agency officials have assured him that additional equipment will be available for the fire, including military C-130 air tankers."

EDIT

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/8758596.htm?1c

[TheFarseer]

1. I wonder if this will help Kerry

keep New Mexico in the blue column? If people listen to Domenici and Richardson maybe.

[Viking12]

2. How long until the "enviro-whackos" get blamed for the fire?

I'll guess by Friday some repuke will play the, "if the Sierra Club would just let us cut down all the trees, we wouldn't have forest fires" card.