FIRE IN THE SANDIAS

THE PIEDRA FIRE IN THE SANDIAS IS NOW THE FOCUS OF BOTH AIR AND GROUND CREWS HOPING TO STOP IT'S PROGRESS. KAREN TAKAI WITH THE SANDIA RANGER DISTRICT SAYS HELICOPTERS AND AIR TANKERS ARE WORKING THE FIRE, ALONG WITH ABOUT 60 PEOPLE WHO HAVE HIKED IN TO BUILD LINES.

THE SIZE OF THE FIRE IS HARD TO DETERMINE, BUT TAKAI SAYS THEY THINK IT'S AROUND 10 ACRES. IT'S BURNING IN A HEAVILY-WOODED AREA, ABOUT HALF WAY UP THE MOUNTAIN EAST OF BERNALILLO.  SHE SAYS INVESTIGATORS WILL DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE, BUT THAT COULD TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS.

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SMOKE IS STILL VISIBLE FROM THE SANDIA MOUNTAINS EAST OF ALBUQUERQUE. THAT'S WHERE A WILDFIRE DUBBED THE PIEDRA FIRE FLARED UP AROUND 5 AM THURSDAY. KAREN TAKAI WITH THE SANDIA RANGER DISTRICT TELLS 770 KKOB IT STARTED WITH ABOUT 3 ACRES AND HAS GROWN TO BETWEEN 5-AND-6 ACRES. TAKAI SAYS THEY'RE DOING A "RECON" OF THE AREA TO GET A BETTER ACREAGE COUNT AND PINPOINT THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE FIRE. SHE SAYS THEY'RE GUESSING FOR NOW THAT IT'S 4-TO-5 MILES FROM BERNALILLO AND PLACITAS.