Elaine Baumgartel

The deadline to register to vote in the November election is Oct. 9 in Arizona and New Mexico, and fast approaching in other states. For months, dozens of organizations across the Southwest have sent out armies of canvassers to register new voters.

The massive wildfire raging out of control in southwestern New Mexico is now the largest in the state’s history and is zero percent contained.  Prolonged drought and near record low humidities are complicating fire-fighting efforts.

The Whitewater Baldy Complex fire has grown to over 170-thousand acres, surpassing last year’s record breaking Las Conchas fire that caused the evacuation of the city of Los Alamos and threatened the nation’s nuclear weapons labs there.

A wildfire raging out of control in southwestern New Mexico grew by 30 square miles overnight Monday.  The massive blaze is on track to become the largest in the state's history.

Whipped by strong winds, the Whitewater Baldy Complex fire is expected to break the record set by last year's devastating Las Conchas wildfire that scorched 244 square miles.  It's burned at least a dozen summer cabins and is a long way from containment.