Arizona Wildfire 7/9 (9 of 9)
Smoke from the Wallow Wildfire billows over the White Mountains as the sun sets in Springerville, Arizona June 8, 2011. The wildfire, believed to be sparked by inattentive campers, blazed unchecked for an 11th day in eastern Arizona on Wednesday, leaving at least 600 square miles of pine forest blackened and menacing several mountain towns near the New Mexico border. REUTERS

Nearly 10000 people were forced to flee and 30 houses were charred down when a massive wildfire in Arizona broke out and was at the brink of moving in to New Mexico on Friday. The fire threatened more towns possibly endangering two major power lines that bring electricity from Arizona to west Texas, a report said.

The fire had burned down 639 square miles of forest, an increase of 114 square miles from a day earlier, officials said Friday.

Lighters winds Thursday and Friday helped the 3,000 firefighters on the lines make progress, but critical fire conditions remain, said Jim Whittington, a spokesman for the teams battling the fire. High winds are expected to return with a vengeance today, according to reports.

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