In pictures: Fighting the blaze

Hundreds of firefighters have been fighting a raging forest fire in New Mexico which has forced the closure of the Los Alamos nuclear plant and the evacuation of thousands of people.

A thousand firefighters have been struggling to hold the line

The fire has been spreading since last Friday

High winds fanned the flames hundreds of feet in the air

Firefighters say it could take three weeks to douse the blaze

Hundreds of homes have been destroyed

Slight damage to the nuclear facility, but no radiation leak

Evacuees have been viewing the inferno from a safe distance

The billowing smoke can be seen from miles away