Otero Fire burns 300+ acres, no structures threatened (2025)

LEAST 300 ACRES. THAT IS WHERE WE FIND REPORTER ALYSSA MUNOZ. AND ALYSSA, YOU JUST TALKED TO FIRE OFFICIALS ABOUT 20 MINUTES AGO. YEAH. SASHA, SO FAR, THEY SAY IT’S ABOUT 35 TO 40% CONTAINED, BUT YOU COULD STILL STILL SEE HERE IN THE BOSQUE, SEVERAL HOTSPOTS FLARING UP HERE. NOW, LIKE YOU SAID, THIS HAS REACHED ABOUT 300 ACRES. NOW, WE KNOW THE FIRE STARTED THIS AFTERNOON, AND IT EVENTUALLY JUMPED THE RIVER TO THE EAST SIDE, WHERE IT’S ALSO BURNING. NOW. OFFICIALS SAY NO STRUCTURES ARE AT RISK AND NO EVACUATIONS ARE HAPPENING NOW. THERE ARE ABOUT 70 MEN AND WOMEN OUT HERE TRYING TO HELP, AND WHILE IT’S STILL VERY WINDY, OFFICIALS SAY THEY’RE STILL MAKING PROGRESS. THE WIND IS STARTING TO IGNITE SOME OF THAT FLAME ON SOME OF THESE TREES. THE GOOD THING IS THAT ALL OF THE BRUSH UNDERNEATH NO LONGER EXISTS. SO EVEN THOUGH THERE YOU HAVE THESE FLARE UPS, THOSE FLAMES AREN’T GOING TO BE ABLE TO REIGNITE ANYTHING AROUND THEM. NOW, WE DO SEE THOSE HOTSPOTS STILL FLARING IN THE DISTANCE. IT DOES SEEM LIKE IT’S STARTING TO GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER, BUT CREWS STILL PLAN TO BE HERE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE NIGHT, AND THEY’RE HOPING TO HAVE THIS CLEARED BY THE MORNING.