Santa Fe, NM – A wildfire that started on Saturday two miles north of Ski Santa Fe has burned nearly 5,000 acres of mixed conifer and pine trees in Santa Fe National Forest.

The fire remained zero percent contained as of this morning. Nearly 500 firefighters are struggling to bring the blaze under control in Pacheco Canyon, just north of the ski area. No structures have yet been threatened but a power line through the area remains shut down as it is in danger. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

New Mexico Route 475, also known as Hyde Park Road, and Artist Road are closed at mile post 9, at the Forest boundary. Forest Service Road 102 to Pacheco Road is also closed.

The Pacheco Fire is the second blaze to threaten a New Mexico ski resort thus far this summer. Earlier this month another fire threatened Sipapu ski resort near Taos but was doused before reaching the ski area.

New Mexico’s mountains are especially dry this summer following a lean snow year and the entire Santa Fe National Forest, encompassing 1.6 million acres, is under Stage 2 fire restrictions due to severe drought conditions and extreme fire danger. The weather experienced recently in the area is abnormal, more typical of early spring. Unusually strong Pacific troughs have brought multi-day wind events with strength typical of April and early May when temperatures are typically 20 degrees cooler than they have been in recent weeks.