Weather Conditions Threaten to Refuel New Mexico Wildfires After Weekend Lull
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Fear is rising along the risk factor in New Mexico. Unpredictable winds that turned Los Alamos into a tinderbox last week are regenerating after a week's lull. Weather conditions could spell trouble for firefighters and residents alike. With roughly 28 percent of the 44,000-acre fire contained, firefighters have their work cut out for them. CNN's Greg LaMotte has more on the battle from Los Alamos this morning. Good morning, Greg.</s>GREG LAMOTTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Well, firefighters will be going full bore today trying to get as much accomplished as possible because the weather forecast is calling for the winds to pick up starting again this afternoon. At 10 to 20 miles per hour, that's not bad. But the forecast for tomorrow, wind gusts in the neighborhood of 50 miles per hour. Firefighters are on the ground with chain saws and shovels looking to put out any hot spots they find. That's a big concern today. All it takes is some wind and, before you know it, the fires can, once again, be raging out of control. For the first time since the fires began, several dozen residents who lost their homes were given a chance to see the devastation. While they weren't allowed to walk around in their neighborhoods, they were given bus tours dubbed "Operation Phoenix," a reference to rising from the ashes. Some of the residents cried, others watched in silence. The mood was much happier for the 6,000 residents of nearby White Rock. They were allowed to return to their homes.</s>AARON KOSKELO, EVACUEE: What I was worried about most was smoke damage because I had no clue how much smoke we had and what that was going to be like. And it seems like it's just dry. It's really bad. All of our landscaping's OK. I know that's not really important, but it was really nice to see the home again.</s>LAMOTTE: No homes in White Rock were burned. We were told yesterday, in some areas of the forest, there is a foot of ash on the ground. We're also told that the heat is so intense in some areas that there were glass-like beads on the ground reminiscent of when the atomic bombs exploded in Japan. Again, the big concern is weather, with the winds. We are told that 28 percent of the fire has been contained, but the forecast calls for lower humidity, higher temperatures and gusty winds for tomorrow. And much like when I was a child growing up raking leaves on a Saturday, the winds would blow and the next day it wouldn't look at all like I had raked the yard. The same is true for the firefighters who go out, put out fires. The winds kick up and, before you know it, it's like they never put the fires out to begin with -- Carol.</s>LIN: All right. Well, hopefully, Greg, like you as a kid, the firefighters will have a second chance at that.