Drought, fires dislocate animals' habitats

Espanola, N.M.-Rapid-spreading wildfires in the Westfurther fueled by drought this summer have forced thousands of wild animals toabandon their habitat.

"A lotof evacuees in the Show Low and Pinetop-Lakeside (Arizona) area are returninghome and finding visitors - wild ones," Arizona game officials said in areport on the 468,000-acre fire that caused the evacuations of 30,000 people.

Following the blaze, the Arizona Game and Fish Departmentdocumented 200 fire-displaced species, including endangered Mexican gray wolves,mountain lions, coyotes, weasels, bobcats, snakes and 162 kinds of birds.

In Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, a combined 1.27 millionacres have burned in 3,820 fires.

More than $1 billion in emergency firefighting money is in thecongressional pipeline, according to Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M. Of that, $200million would apply to habitat restoration.

Additionally, the International Fund for Animal Welfare hassubmitted a $10,000 emergency grant to help treat Arizona wildlife sufferingfrom fires and drought.