An expanding wildfire in New Mexico is encouraging residents in the nearby Los Alamos National Laboratory to prepare for imminent evacuations, Axios reported on Wednesday.
The news comes two days after authorities announced that Los Alamos County and its laboratory would be placed on high alert status due to the ongoing Cerro Pelado Fire.
New Mexico Fire Information also reported that a "red flag" weather warning was still in effect in the region "due to sustained windy and dry conditions with low relative humidity."
"These conditions are expected to contribute to fire growth potential. The strongest gusts will occur in the late afternoon and early evening hours before a dry cold front moves into the area," the site, run by federal and state agencies in New Mexico, wrote.
"Weather conditions, difficult terrain, and environmental hazards will continue to challenge direct suppression efforts. Firefighters and line safety officers are using lookouts, communications, escape routes, and safety zones (LCES) to protect line personnel," it added.
Communities in the area use a set of stages known as "Ready, Set, Go." According to authorities, the communities remain in the "Set" stage, which encourages residents to create an evacuation plan.
If the communities were to transfer to the "Go" stage, it would give residents a 24-hour window to evacuate.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, New Mexico currently has seven other wildfires in the southern and northern parts of the state forcing evacuations and destroying homes. More than 1,000 personnel are on-site to fight the destructive fires.
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