The end of a way of life? Ranchers struggle to survive the south-west’s megadrought

Carla Gomez, a rancher in Mora, New Mexico with her grandchildren. In April she had to flee her farm to escape the largest wildfire in the state’s history. Photograph: Ramsay de Give/The Guardian

In April, Carla Gomez found herself seeking shelter in the city of Las Vegas, New Mexico, not just for her but also for 75 of her sheep.

When flames had started creeping down the Sangre de Cristo Mountain range towards Los Vallecitos, her beef and lamb ranch in Mora county, she knew she had to flee. The fire was part of what would become the largest wildfire in the state’s history, and her farm was directly in its path.