By Andrew Hay
(Reuters) – An elderly couple died as they tried to evacuate from a wildfire in Ruidoso, New Mexico, that has destroyed dozens of homes and forced thousands to flee the mountain town, police said.
The remains of the couple were found on Thursday at their home in northeast Ruidoso after family members told police they had attempted to evacuate but were unaccounted for, New Mexico State Police said in a statement.
The couple, who were not identified, were the first reported fatalities of the so-called McBride Fire that started on Tuesday afternoon and has burned 5,381 acres (2,178 hectares) and destroyed over 150 structures, most of them homes, according to local authorities.
The fire was fueled by gusting winds and dry conditions that have sent flames through forested canyons dotted with homes.
Over 5,000 residents have been forced to leave their homes in the resort town of around 8,000 people, according to Kerry Gladden, a spokeswoman for the local government.
Like other western states, New Mexico is suffering an early start to its fire season as blazes quickly spread through grassland and forests suffering from severe to extreme drought.
The McBride fire has been the most destructive in New Mexico in a decade in terms of property losses. It was among around a dozen wildfires in New Mexico and West Texas.
(Reporting by Andrew Hay in Taos, New Mexico; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
