Not Exactly Smooth Sailing at 52nd Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta After 4 Incidents

Balloons sail in the sky captured during flight in Meow Wolf's Skyworm hot air balloon during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta at Balloon Fiesta Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Oct. 8, 2024. Chancey Bush/The Albuquerque Journal via AP

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—A drone show and a flawless mass ascension ended Sunday’s last day of the 52nd Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for this year’s hot air balloon event.

One balloon partially caught fire Saturday after hitting power lines and landing at a construction site in northwest Albuquerque. Fiesta officials say nobody was injured and the fire was quickly extinguished.