Wildfire threatens village of House

A grass fire estimated at more than 5,000 acres burned to the edge of the southern Quay County village of House on Friday, causing numerous residents to flee and prompting the school to delay its prom that night.

Quay County Fire Marshal Lucas Bugg said the fire, which he estimated was seven to eight miles long west of House, burned to Oak Street in the village and briefly crossed it before firefighters beat it back.

“Luckily, on Oak Street, there weren’t any occupied structures,” Bugg said.

Bugg said the fire started west of town shortly after 9 a.m. Friday and was contained by about 5:30 p.m.

He said no injuries were reported and no structures were destroyed, though the fire damaged fences and pasture.

Bugg said firefighters from Forrest, Quay, Grady, House, Jordan, Melrose, Bard-Endee, Tucumcari, Ranchvale, Prairie, Field and Districts 1 and 2 brought personnel or equipment to battle the blaze. He said road districts from the De Baca, Curry and Quay counties also helped with equipment.

Bugg said the fire’s cause still was being investigated.

Jordan Fire Chief Tedd Tatum said the blaze started about six miles west of House.

Lora Armendariz, a teacher at House Municipal Schools who lives about six miles north of the village, said she gave shelter to about 10 House residents for about three hours during the fire.

Armendariz said New Mexico State Police “strongly encouraged” House residents to evacuate themselves during the fire.

House Municipal Schools was scheduled to hold its prom Friday night, but the fire prompted the district to delay that event. It was rescheduled to Saturday night.

On Friday, the Mitchell Fire that started April 22 east of Mosquero in Harding County was ruled contained. The brush fire burned about 25,000 acres, though it destroyed no structures and caused no injuries.