Las Vegas Municipal Airport in north central New Mexico had become one of two hubs for aerial support in as firefighters continue to battle the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak wildfire.
According to a report by KOB 4 of Albuquerque, firefighters are also using the hub on the northern side of the Angel fire. Seven helicopters are utilizing the airport as a base, according to the report, to help drop water on the blaze that is currently covering more than 300,000 acres.
“This base is the primary support base for the southern portion of the fire,” Bradley Castle, an air support group supervisor, told the TV station.
According to KOB, there currently are more than 2,000 firefighters and other emergency personnel involved in battling the New Mexico wildfire.
Water tanks are helping slow the spread of the blaze, according to a KOB report. Depending on the size of a helicopter, it can typically make 20 drops each hour and they can carry from 560 gallons to nearly 2,000 gallons of water for each drop.
The TV news outlet also reported that firefighters currently are directing their efforts on containing the blaze on the northern side of the fire because of its proximity to the Angel fire.