Indian Ruins Found in Fire-Ravaged Mesa Verde

July 23 -- A fire burning out of control in Mesa Verde National Park has unearthed hidden ancient Indian artifacts, complicating firefighters’ task of putting out the blaze before it spreads to other areas of the park.

About 350 firefighters battled the flames in a 3,500-acre area of rugged, steep terrain on the eastern boundary of thepark, about 260 miles southwest of Denver.

“The conditions have not improved,” said Brian Peterson, spokesman for the National Park Service. “We are hoping for some moisture, a drop in the temperature, anything.”

The wildfire, which spewed wind-whipped flames and sent a gray curtain of smoke into the sky, doubled in size Friday and spread quickly across tinder-dry mesas and canyons, forcing the evacuation of 1,000 tourists.

“Oh, my! It [has] grown,” said Jane Anderson, who works forthe park and lives nearby.

The fire has not threatened any of the cliff dwellings and mesa villages built by Pueblo Indians more than 1,000 years ago.

Ruins Uncovered

Thirteen park archaeologists traveling with firefighters are protecting and securing the previously undocumented sites and taking an inventory of the find. The group has not yet detailed what items were uncovered.

The mounds of rubble, which are believed to be walls, were exposed when the flames burned away vegetation.

“The archaeologists are very excited,” said Elaine Simo,spokeswoman for the National Park Service.

The fire, apparently caused by lightning, broke out on theeastern boundary of the 52,000-acre park on Thursday. It racedthrough juniper, pinon and oak brush, burning within a mile of thesingle road through the area.

National Park Service officials said the park would probablyremain off limits to tourists through the weekend.

The canyon walls are so steep that firefighters had difficultyreaching the flames. Officials said the fire was so intense that it wascreating powerful updrafts, in effect, making its own weather ratherthan being pushed by winds.