Valencia County, United States – Albuquerque Fire Rescue has deployed Battalion 1, Engine 316, and Brush 22 to assist with a major wildfire south of Rio Communities, while Brush 16 is serving as an RMP deployment resource. AFR’s public information officer also attended to provide a press briefing.

The fire has grown to over 500 acres and remains zero percent contained, spreading across both sides of the river. No injuries have been reported and no structures have been lost so far. Evacuations are currently in place for affected areas.

Firefighters will continue working through the night using heavy equipment, saws, hand tools, and hose lines to control the blaze. Valencia County is coordinating unified command, which will transition to a Type-3 incident under New Mexico State Forestry as more resources arrive.

Resources from the City of Rio Communities, Valencia County, Albuquerque Fire Rescue, Rio Rancho, BCFR, Belen, and NM State Forestry are all on scene. Officials urge residents to monitor Valencia County Fire Department social media and news outlets for evacuation updates.

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