Firefighters Battling Wildfires in Arizona and New Mexico

KINGMAN, Ariz. (AP) — Mohave County authorities have issued an emergency declaration after a wildfire near Kingman prompted the evacuation of more than 200 homes in Pine Lake area.

In the meantime, firefighters stepped up efforts to control another wildfire burning in the Sacramento Mountains of south-central New Mexico.

The Arizona wildfire was reported around 2 p.m. Sunday and reportedly originated between the Flag Mine and Wild Cow Campground in the Hualapai Mountains south of Kingman in northwestern Arizona.

Arizona Bureau of Land Management officials said the fire was human-caused, but how it started remains under investigation.

County Supervisor Buster Johnson issued the emergency declaration Monday that activated the county’s emergency response and recovery plan until further notice.

“Hualapai Mountain Park will be closed to new visitors.during the existence of said emergency or until the threat in the park is declared over,” Johnson said in the declaration.

County officials said the wildfire had burned about 1,400 acres (2.1 square miles) by late Monday afternoon.

Three large air tankers, multiple fire units and several helicopters were battling the blaze, which is burning brush, grass and ponderosa pines

In New Mexico, a top-tier management team and additional tankers and ground crews have been assigned to the Sacramento Mountains blaze.

The fire near the Three Rivers Campground and west of the Ski Apache ski resort had burned 6,100 acres (25 square kilometers) with no containment around its perimeter as of Tuesday morning, according to a statement posted by fire managers.

The fire was reported Monday and its cause was under investigation, the statement said.

No injuries or structure damage has been reported.

Smoke was blowing into the communities of Alto, Capitan, and Ruidoso, the statement said.