Wildfire burning at La Joya game refuge

BERNARDO, N.M. (KRQE) - A wildfire of unknown origin broke out Wednesday afternoon at the La Joya State Game Refuge on the Rio Grande about 50 miles south of Albuquerque.

At 3:30 p.m. the fire was estimated at 5-10 acres by New Mexico State Forestry, which said the flames were churning through grass and salt cedar and not threatening any structures.

The refuge is south of U.S. Highway 60 at Bernardo between Interstate 25 and the Rio Grande.

Aerial video from KRQE News 13's Skyranger showed the flames had jumped a channel but were generally contained within roads and wetlands that may serve as firebreaks.

At 5 p.m. State Forestry reported the fire was calming some as evening approached and had charred about 20 acres.

State Forestry reported 25 personnel on the scene including volunteer firefighters from Abeytas and Veguita and crews from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management.  The Socorro County Road Department and Lopez Farms each sent a bulldozer.

Two fire crews from the State Forestry Inmate Work Camp are expected to arrive Thursday to help with mopping up the blaze.

A BLM law enforcement officer is leading the investigation into the cause of the fire, which was first reported at 2 p.m.