Officials have told the 6,000 residents to prepare to evacuate the historic town of Taos, New Mexico because of the dangers of the wildfires encroaching around the area, Reuters reports. First settled in the 1600s, Taos is a popular tourist destination known for its arts and culture.
Wildfires have been whipping through New Mexico in recent weeks, fueled by high winds and an ongoing drought. State and local governments have been constructing fire breaks north and west of the city of Las Vegas, with 15,000 residents western New Mexico.
The largest of the regional fires, the Calf Canyon fire has destroyed an area about the size of the city of Albuquerque, just over 100,000 acres.