Conditions 'near perfect' for battling Big Spring Fire

YOU'RE SEEING A LIVE PICTURE FROM CHOPPER FOUR, AS CREWS SPEND THEIR THIRD FULL DAY ATTACKING ...  More »

YOU'RE SEEING A LIVE PICTURE FROM CHOPPER FOUR, AS CREWS SPEND THEIR THIRD FULL DAY ATTACKING THE BIG SPRING FIRE IN THE MANZANO MOUNTAINS. THEY'VE MANAGED TO GET IT 10 PERCENT CONTAINED TODAY. THE FIRE HAS BURNED AROUND 35-HUNDRED ACRES. AND 400 HOMES ARE STILL UNDER EVACUATION ORDERS... VALERIE CASTRO HAS SPENT THE DAY IN NEARBY ESTANCIA. SHE JOINS US LIVE WITH THE LATEST IN OUR TOP STORY... VAL? WE ARE HERE AT THE INCIDENT COMMAND CENTER WHERE EMERGENCY OFFICIALS SAY THE CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN NEAR PERFECT FOR FIGHTING THIS FIRE TODAY. CALMER WINDS TODAY HAVE ALLOWED CREWS TO AGGRESSIVELY ATTACK THE BLAZE FROM THE AIR. SEVERAL HELICOPTERS HAVE BEEN DOUSING THE FLAMES WITH FIRE RETARDANT FOR MOST OF THE DAY TRYING TO STRENGTHEN THE FIRE LINE AND WORK ON ANY HOT SPOTS. EVACUATIONS IN TEJIQUE ARE STILL VOLUNTARY. WE SPOKE TO ONE RESIDENT WHO IS STAYING BEHIND AND SAYS THIS FIRE IS NOT NEARLY AS THREATENING AND MENACING AS THE TRIGO FIRE JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO. 'it was much more serious.....it was coming this way.' EVEN THOUGH CREWS HAVE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS TODAY -- COUNTY EMERGENCY OFFICIALS SAY SOME STRUCTURES HAVE BURNED. NO WORD YET IF THOSE STRUCTURES ARE HOMES. MEANTIME, MORE CREWS AND SUPPLIES ARE ON THEIR WAY IN FROM ARIZONA AS A RESULT OF FEDERAL FUNDS APPROVED BY FEMA. REPORTING LIVE IN ESTANCIA....VC....EWN 4. METEOROLOGIST  « Less