Crews contain fire in Roswell

VIDEO: Crews responded to the Roswell Air Center to fight a large fire on Thursday night. According to the Roswell Fire Department, the fire was reported Thursday afternoon on a building that was leased by a business on the east side of the Roswell Air Center near a city water tower. Fire officials say the fire was "burning itself out" after it burned through chemicals in the building. There is no word on what chemicals were on fire. One building was evacuated due to the fire, but said no other evacuations were necessary. Power was turned off in the area of the fire, including the airport terminal. Power has since been restored. There is no word on what caused the fire.
KOAT-TV ABC 7 Albuquerque

Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday marked with art exhibit in Capitan

PHOTO: Smokey Bear Historical Park in Capitan will host a two-week exhibit of Smokey Bear paintings by Rudy Wendelin, celebrating the renowned spokesbear for fire prevention's 80th birthday, according to a news release. On loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library, the traveling exhibition showcases 19 replica paintings completed by Wendelin from 1977-1995. The exhibit will be available for viewing April 30 through May 10 at the historical park at 118 Smokey Bear Blvd. in Capitan, roughly two and a half hours from Albuquerque. Wendelin began working for the Forest Service in the 1930s and was assigned the Smokey Bear project, according to the release. He illustrated hundreds of Smokey images, giving the bear the anthropomorphic traits we know him for today, the iconic forest ranger's hat, jeans and shovel.
Albuquerque Journal - Metered Site

Update: Fire continues to burn at Portales peanut processing plant

VIDEO: Several buildings at a New Mexico peanut plant are a total loss as a fire burns more than a week after it started. That fire started on Monday at the Hampton Farms facility in Portales forcing an evacuation of the plant. The Portales Fire Department says the blaze started outside the building and was contained a few hours later but flared up again the next morning. One person was sent to the hospital. The fire department issued an update on Monday and said the department is allowing the remainder of products inside the warehouses to burn. PFD says firefighters will remain on scene. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
KRQE-TV CBS/FOX 13 Albuquerque