OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The Latest on wildfires burning in the Southwest and Southern Plains states (all times local):
11:45 a.m.
Milder weather conditions in northwestern New Mexico could help firefighters who have been keeping a pair of wildfires on a mountain and a nearby butte largely in check despite strong winds.
A statement released Wednesday by the team managing operations against the fires northwest of Grants said crews held containment lines Tuesday despite the challenging conditions.
The statement says favorable conditions Wednesday are expected to be followed by stronger winds on Thursday.
Notices warning residents of several subdivisions in the area to be ready to evacuate their homes at a moment's notice have been lifted and an evacuation center in Grants closed.
Approximately 400 people are assigned to battle the fires, including 11 crews of firefighters.
10:05 a.m.
Firefighters are struggling to get wildfires in western Oklahoma under control, but a forecast for rain later in the week could provide some much-needed relief.
The National Weather Service said Wednesday that fire conditions remain critical in northwestern Oklahoma and the Panhandle, the eastern half of the Texas Panhandle and in southwestern Kansas.
The largest fire, located about 110 miles (180 kilometers) northwest of Oklahoma City, has burned about 409 square miles (1,059 sq. kilometers) and is 3 percent contained.
Firefighters are making more progress at another fire near Woodward, about 125 miles (201 kilometers) northwest of Oklahoma City. That blaze has burned about 106 square miles (275 sq. kilometers) and remains about 45 percent contained.
Two people have died in the Oklahoma fires, which began late last week.
Forecasters are predicting rain in western Oklahoma beginning Friday.
8:45 a.m.
Officials say fires that crossed from Colorado into Kansas have been contained.
Katie Horner, a state emergency management spokeswoman, said Wednesday that some structures have been destroyed but that state officials are awaiting damage assessments before releasing more details.
Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer has issued a disaster declaration. It isn't clear how much land has burned there. Horner says no injuries have been reported.
The fire risk is dropping in Kansas, where temperatures have dropped from highs in the lower to mid-80s (27-30 Celsius) to around 60 (15 Celsius). Wind gusts of 40 mph (64 kph) are forecast, half as strong as on Tuesday. National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Buller said the fire risk has shifted south into western Oklahoma.
In Colorado, fire crews on Tuesday battled fast-moving, wind-sparked blazes that stretched from the Denver area northward and eastward toward Kansas.
High winds and gusts up to 80 mph (130 kph) blasted the state, tipping tractor-trailers, uprooting trees, hurling furniture and whipping up dust.
8:30 a.m.
Firefighters are battling massive wildfires that have destroyed homes and other buildings in parts of Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma.
The blazes are fueled by gusting winds, low humidity and drought-stricken land. One fire that started in Colorado crossed into Kansas on Tuesday night, prompting the evacuation of 90 homes. In western Oklahoma, homes in Oakwood and Seiling were evacuated Tuesday because of another fire.
Oklahoma Forestry Services says structures have been destroyed, but they are unable to assess damage because the fire is still burning. In southern Colorado, five homes and several outbuildings were destroyed Tuesday.
The smoke from the fires in western Oklahoma is so heavy that firefighters more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) away in Oklahoma City told residents to avoid calling 911 unless they see flames.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.