A wildfire is approaching the town of 13,000 - with some rushing to pack their cars and belongings, others rushing to clear a forest near their homes, and police have been called out of a state psychiatric hospital.
Wind-blown flames swarmed over pine-covered New Mexico mountains on Monday after firefighters fought in several areas to keep the fire, the hottest US, from escaping into crowded areas as it consumed dry land.
The fire has burned more than 217 square miles and the flames can be seen in a small town northeast of New Mexico in Las Vegas a few miles away.
Fire officials said they were encouraged by the forecast to improve humidity and changing air on Tuesday.
But the fire is expected to continue to grow, putting it in a position to become one of the largest and most destructive in the state's recorded history.
The sky above the city's historic plaza, popularly known as the background of a few movies and television series, was yellow and gray as thick smoke billowed from the sun.
As the ashes fell on them, Chris Castillo and his cousins cut down trees and cleared logs away from a loved one's home.
“We are all family here. We are trying to make a fire line, ”he said.
Some relatives were traveling in cattle carts, waiting to help anyone calling to move livestock.
Volcanic fires are a year-round threat in drought-stricken Western countries and are faster and hotter than ever because of climate change, say fire scientists and experts.
Over the past five years, California, for example, has experienced eight major wildfires in regional history, while Colorado saw flames devastating suburban areas last December.
The fire in northern New Mexico - long-awaited in hot, dry and windy conditions - was seen in size on Sunday, prompting authorities to issue new orders to evacuate the town of Mora and other counties.