In Pictures

The largest fire in New Mexico’s history

Gila National Park continues to burn

Fires rage out of control — What was started by a single bolt of lightning on 16 May has become the largest wildfire in New Mexico(***)s history.

New Mexico is continuing its battle with the largest wildfire the state has ever seen.

What started with a lightning strike on 16 May has grown into a huge blaze, with more than 1,200 firefighters are struggling to control it.

1050 square kilometres have now been scorched — Massive forest fires have been ravaging the southwestern US, aided by dry weather conditions. Above, a helicopter drops retardant on a wildfire in the Gila National Forest in New Mexico.

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Fire breaks are being cut across the landscape — Firefighters have been drafted in from Arizon to help create (***)fire breaks(***): gaps in the vegetation which act as barriers to slow or stop the progress of a wildfire.

Working in thick smoke — Despite the dangerous conditions, firefighters continue to toil relentlessly, but the flames continue to burn.

The weather has offered no help — The high temperatures, gusty winds and low humidities which have been affecting New Mexico for the past few weeks have caused the fire to spread rapidly.

The view from space — This NASA satellite image shows smoke from the wildfires drifting away towards the southwest, as the winds continue to fan the flames.

An eerie silence falls across the forest — The majority of the fire is within Gila National Park, a landscape of rugged mountains and canyons in southwestern New Mexico.

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Ash litters the forest floor — Just walking through the burnt patches of pine trees causes clouds of ash to be lifted into the air.

Dozens of buildings have been lost — Officials say that it could be several more weeks before the fire is completely contained.