Breaking: UWC evacuated as crews battle wildfire
Fire crews from multiple agencies began fighting a wildlife Friday afternoon about five miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Located southwest of Montezuma, the Peterson Fire has burned about 20 acres and caused the evacuation of the United World College-USA.
Carl-Martin Nelson with UWC-USA said school security notified him of the fire around 2 p.m., and “out of an abundance of caution,” school officials evacuated the roughly 220 students on campus. The students were taken to the Abe Montoya Recreation Center. Nelson said they were prepared to spend the night there if necessary, but he hoped it wouldn’t be needed.
The fire started around 1:30 p.m. Friday, fueled by sustained winds of 15 to 20 mph, according to the New Mexico State Forestry Division. Air support has been requested.
The cause of the fire is unknown and still under investigation. It is burning on state and private land, and on both sides of Highway 65, near the Peterson Reservoir. Due to the proximity to the reservoir and nearby water treatment facility, the City of Las Vegas issued a news release Friday afternoon asking residents to conserve water. However, Mayor Louie Trujillo told the Optic Friday evening that the reservoir and water treatment facility were not endangered.
Several structures are threatened by the Peterson Fire, but according to the State Forestry Division, none had burned as of this writing Friday evening.
This is a developing story. Follow the Optic on Facebook for updates.
