Crews try to contain Bensen fire

Nearly 120 firefighters are trying to maintain lines around a wildfire burning in southern New Mexico.

Lincoln National Forest officials say the Bensen Fire is 10 percent contained and crews are focused on making sure the fire doesn’t grow beyond its current 96-acre size.

Spokeswoman Loretta Benavidez says firefighters are hoping winds won’t cause any problems Saturday.

Officials say the fire started Thursday afternoon about 20 miles southwest of Cloudcroft and about three miles west of the Sunspot Observatory.

They say no structures are threatened and no evacuations have been ordered.

The cause is still under investigation.

Personnel assigned to the fire include four Hotshot hand-tool crews and several ground vehicles.

The fire is in the national forest and in New Mexico state forest.