ALBUQUERQUE (AP) -- A fire in the Rio Grande bosque that destroyed two structures and prompted the evacuations of more than 100 homes was sparked by metal grinding or welding, a fire official said.
The fire was estimated to have burned at least 20 acres on the east side of the river. The size of the burned area on the west side of the river had not been determined.
The fire was reported around 3:35 p.m. Thursday in a warehouse or work shop, said Bernalillo County Fire Chief Bett Clark.
``That is the cause and the origin of the fire,'' she said.
Three men were arrested and booked into jail on charges of negligent use of fire, Clark said Friday.
The fire spread rapidly Thursday in wind gusts of up to 35 mph and burned a two-car garage while moving into the heavily wooded area along the river.
Firefighters quickly moved in and guarded homes in the area and helicopters began dropping water.
Mayor Martin Chavez said the city and county were much better prepared than they were last year when two fires in the bosque scorched more than 330 acres.
``We can't guarantee no fires,'' Chavez said. ``Mother Nature has a different opinion on that. But within the city limits, we are ready.''
Chavez said 45 acres of brush on the east side of the river near where the fire burned had been cleared earlier this week.
Bernalillo County, Albuquerque and other local agencies were also better prepared to fight the fire.
``After last year's fires they did a post fire analysis and looked at improving response and communication,'' Chavez said of the fire departments.
The fire laid low and was considered contained on the west side of the river. It was more active on the east side overnight, Clark said. Many firefighters and engines were moved to help on the east side.
The majority of the evacuations were voluntary, said Clark and Bernalillo County sheriff's spokeswoman Michele Arviso Devlin. The evacuations and road closures remained effective early Friday morning.
Shelters for the evacuees were established at Rio Grande High School and at the Sheraton Old Town.
Special livestock and pet shelters were established at various areas around Albuquerque's south valley because the fire burned in a rural area where many livestock owners live.
Many of the evacuees fled the rural area Thursday evening with horses and other animals in tow.
Clark described the area where the fire burned as having large areas of open space and no water hydrants, complicating the firefighting effort. Water trucks were brought in and water was taken from irrigation ditches to help fight the fire.
Edgar Gallaro, 18, stood at a roadblock Thursday evening frantically trying to reach his uncle Raul Subia to coordinate evacuation of Subia's horses.
``I'm frustrated, man,'' Gallaro said after several unsuccessful cell phone calls.
Several agencies cooperated to fight the fire, including Bernalillo County Fire Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department, Albuquerque Fire Department, Albuquerque police, Los Ranchos Fire Department, Valencia County, Isleta Pueblo and the state Forestry Division.
Gov. Bill Richardson activated the state Emergency Operations Center in Santa Fe and took a helicopter tour of the burned area.
``This fire shows that in the West we're vulnerable,'' he said.
The city enacted restrictions this week that prohibited fireworks, campfires, open burning and smoking in the wooded area along the river.
``We have extreme fire conditions out there and this was exactly what we were worried about,'' Chavez said.
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