Mexican firefighters have controlled six fires that had spread to the country from the United States, but the risk of cross-border conflagration remains high, Mexican Environment Minister Rafael Elvira Quesada said Tuesday.
The raging forest fires which came from the southern U.S. state of California are threatening northern Mexico's state of Baja California, prompting alarm at the National Forestry Commission, Quesada told reporters in Chetumal, capital city of southeastern Mexico state Quintana Roo.
Up to 20 hectares of Mexican forest have been burned and firefighters remain on high alert, he said.
Although the fires have not caused any casualties, dozens of families have been evacuated from around Tecate after flame-heated winds brought down power cables. Smoke and ash from the fires have also caused problems in Tecate, Tijuana and Rosarito.
Southern California wildfires have been burning for three days, triggering the evacuation of more than half a million people.
Southern California is in the midst of its driest year on record due to the U.S. state receiving only a fifth of its average rainfall. Rains have been equally scarce in northwestern Mexico.
Source: Xinhua
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