SMITH LAKE, N.M. (AP) -- As forests at both ends of the state report an increase in lightning-sparked wildfires, firefighters were working on Mount Powell on the Navajo Nation to put out another blaze.
A lightning strike sparked the fire near a service road on the north side of Mount Powell in far eastern McKinley County, according to Mark Hammond, a fire management officer for the Navajo Area office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Firefighters from surrounding communities have been battling the 50-acre blaze since Monday afternoon.
While Hammond said fire officials had not ordered mandatory evacuations, police in nearby Crownpoint urged people who live in the Mount Powell area to leave their homes Monday evening and they told others to stay away from the area.
None of the homes in the area or a radio tower located on the mountain were threatened, Hammond said.
Firefighters used a road on the mountain as a fire break and worked through the night. Hammond said the ground crew would get help Tuesday from a water-dropping helicopter.
In northern New Mexico, officials with the Santa Fe National Forest plan to implement tougher fire restrictions due to dry conditions. The stage II restrictions begin Wednesday around Los Alamos, Abiquiu, Jemez, Cuba and Coyote.
The restrictions prohibit all fires, including campfires within developed campgrounds. Fires will also be banned in the Dome Wilderness near Bandelier National Monument.
More than 40 fires have started in the forest since July 8. Most were lightning sparked, but at least two of the fires were human caused. All burned less than 5 acres.
In southern New Mexico, officials with the Gila National Forest reported 37 new starts since Friday. All of the fires were caused by lightning except one that was still under investigation.
While firefighters contained most of the fires before they were able to gain any size, some have grown. The Wahoo Fire has charred about 400 acres northwest of Truth or Consequences, the Brush Fire northwest of Silver City has burned about 470 acres and the Willow Fire southwest of Reserve has burned 122 acres.
