Mountainair Blaze Destroys Garage

SEP 06, 2023, MOUNTAINAIR, NM - Fire broke out near US-60 in Mountainair today between South Limit Avenue and Cedardale Avenue. With 20 MPH eastwardly wind gusts, the fire quickly spread to the residence of Darrell Roberts. Neighbors, Mountainair Public Works, and Mountainair Volunteer Fire Department arrived quickly. There was no loss of life.

The fire started just before 4:45 PM. Mountainair Town Councilor Dustin Kayser was on scene, explaining that he lived in the area. Kayser said that workers were welding metal structures observed on the east side of South Limit Avenue, and that he believed that the welding started the fire. A search of a privately-held geographic information system (GIS) reveals that the parcel is owned by David and Judy Hughes of Cimarron, who also own the property across the street (listed on Google Maps as the permanently-closed Mountainair Campgrounds).

With high winds - including 20 MPH wind gusts that pushed the fire to the east - and dry conditions, the fire spread quickly from the motel property to the Roberts residence. Neighbors and members of Mountainair Public Works Department were on hand to offer assistance, and some were observed shoveling dirt onto the fire. Mountainair Volunteer Fire Department also arrived quickly, and crews had fire hoses containing the blaze to a garage structure to the rear of the Roberts property. The fire destroyed this structure.

While Darrell Roberts, Mountainair Public Schools Board of Education President, was not present, his son, Sheldon Roberts, was present. Sheldon explained that the property that was destroyed did not have livestock in it, and there was no loss of animal or human life. Sheldon repeatedly expressed gratitude for the neighbors, firefighters, and public works personnel that came out to help with the fire.