The FBI will offer a reward of up to $10,000 for information on “the people responsible for starting” the ongoing wildfires in the state of New Mexico.
In a statement made by the FBI, it was stated that the public was asked for help in clarifying the cause of the forest fires that started in New Mexico on June 17.
The statement said a reward of up to $10,000 would be offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of “the person or persons responsible for starting the fires.”
According to state officials, 2 people have died so far in the wildfires in and around the village of Ruidoso in New Mexico, which have led to the evacuation of thousands of people.
An estimated more than 1400 structures were also destroyed in the fires.
About 8 thousand people have been evacuated so far.
Although the rain and cool weather that started in the region helped more than 1000 firefighters, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), the fires are not expected to be fully under control until July 15.
The wildfires, which started on June 17 around the village of Ruidoso in the state of New Mexico, began to spread rapidly.
A state of emergency was declared in the region on June 19 due to the fires.
Many evacuation centers were established in the surrounding areas, especially in the city of Roswell, 121 kilometers from the region.
