New Mexico wildfire 15 percent contained

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ALBUQUERQUE, June 2 (UPI) -- Another hot day was on tap Saturday in New Mexico where firefighters said the largest wildfire in state history was 15 percent contained.

The Whitewater-Baldy complex of fires in the Gila National Forest was nearly 218,000 acres early in the day as fire crews headed out to what promised to be a sweltering day on the fire lines.

High temperatures in the 80s and 90s were likely across New Mexico, the National Weather Service said. That would be an increase over Friday when relatively cool temps in the 70s made life easier for fire crews working in the rugged terrain.

"It was the best day we've had in a while," fire information officer Bentley told the Los Angeles Times. "The humidity was not as low as it had been and the temperature was in our favor."

The fire was by no means on its last legs. Smoke from the fire was stinging the eyes of people as far away as Williams, Ariz., about 250 miles from the Gila National Forest, and the Southwest Coordination Center said haze could be an issue for communities in the area for several weeks.

Fire conditions were also ripe Saturday in northwestern Arizona, where a fire weather watch was in effect along with an excessive heat warning along the Colorado River where highs could reach 110.