Massive plumes of white smoke billowed over U.S. 84/285 north of Santa Fe on Thursday afternoon as multiple firefighting agencies descended on a frontage road property where a brush fire broke out.
Authorities on the scene, just north of exit 176 for Cuyamungue, said no one was hurt in the fire, which a Santa Fe County paramedic said firefighters believe originated with a trash pile behind a mobile home.
The blaze began around 1 p.m. and had been mostly contained within 40 minutes.
Residents in neighboring homes were told to evacuate because of the risk the flames might reach a nearby gas tank, a state police officer at the scene said.
“It’s scary,” neighbor Julio Rivas said as he watched firefighters. “They knock and say, ‘Get out, get out.’ ”
A firefighter said wasn’t any structural damage.