FOUR HOMES ARE DESTROYED AND TWO PEOPLE ARE INJURED BY THE GRASS FIRE THAT FLARED UP ON WEDNESDAY IN PORTALES WHEN EXTREMELY HIGH WINDS WERE HITTING PARTS OF NEW MEXICO, INCLUDING PORTALES. THE FIRE STARTED AROUND 1:00 WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WITH WINDS GUSTING UP TO 60 AND 65 MILES PER HOUR BEFORE THE BLAZE WAS FINALLY CONTAINED ABOUT FIVE HOURS LATER. ABOUT A THOUSAND ACRES ARE ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN BURNED.
MEANWHILE, TWO EVACUATION SHELTERS WERE SET UP FOR RESIDENTS WHO HAD TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES, ONE AT THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH AND THE OTHER AT THE PORTALES MEMORIAL BUILDING.
THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE HASN’T BEEN DETERMINED YET.
