Ruidoso fires expand on Day 2; one death reported

SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO — Two fires threatening the community of Ruidoso expanded Tuesday, damaging or destroying at least 500 structures and prompting a second evacuation order, this time for the neighboring City of Ruidoso Downs.

Update: Shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday, the New Mexico Forestry Division reported that some 1,400 structures have been “lost” to the fires.

The South Fork Fire burning to the west and north of the village grew to nearly 15,300 acres by mid-afternoon, while the Salt Fire, burning to the south, totaled about 5,500 acres. They were listed as 0% contained.

KOB-TV and Source New Mexico reported at least one death has resulted from the fires. 

Shortly after 4 p.m., authorities announced a second evacuation order in as many days, urging residents of the City of Ruidoso Downs to evacuate immediately due to the Salt Fire "making a run" toward the community. An evacuation order Monday applied only to a portion of Ruidoso Downs, as well as to Ruidoso proper and surrounding neighborhoods, a village official said.

The only available evacuation route for the 2,600-person community of Ruidoso Downs was U.S. Hwy. 70 east toward Roswell. 

State police blocked all highways leading to Ruidoso because of the high risks relating to travel in the area.

Fire crews from multiple agencies were fighting the blazes using both ground and air equipment.

Businesses burn in blaze

Since its start on Monday morning, the larger South Fork Fire has encroached upon homes and businesses in Ruidoso and Alto, a short drive to the north. Dramatic footage of the Alto Ski Shop ablaze at night was circulating on social media Tuesday. Also perishing in the fire was the Swiss Chalet Inn, a well-known hotel along Mechem Drive.

It was rumored that the Albertsons grocery store, also located on Mechem Drive, had burned, but a company spokesperson said that was not the case – at least through late afternoon Tuesday. The store is closed, however, and will remain so until it’s safe for employees to return.

Residents and onlookers followed fire progress on an alert app known as Watch Duty. At least according to the app, much of the Upper Canyon, a heavily wooded area of Ruidoso, appeared to still be standing.

Officials declined to comment about what structures had or hadn't survived the fire, saying their main focus now is on fighting the blazes. Assessments of damage will come later.

The Ruidoso Midtown area, known for its shops and restaurants, appeared to be intact through late afternoon. Smoky skies over a deserted street could be seen via a popular webcam.

Not everyone evacuated

Monday, most residents evacuated Ruidoso as the threat of the South Fork Fire especially grew throughout the afternoon and evening hours. Despite the order being described as mandatory, an unknown number of people remained behind in their homes, said Village of Ruidoso spokesperson Kerry Gladden.

"We did a mandatory evacuation of the village yesterday afternoon,” she said. “But in New Mexico, it's against the law to make people leave their property. We had a lot of people go, but there were people that stayed.”

On social media, many people struggled to find information about family and friends they haven’t been able to reach.

Who should people call if they believe someone still needs help evacuating? Gladden pointed people to the incident response headquarters’ line, for now: 202-794-5044. However, she emphasized people should NOT call that number seeking updates about whether properties burned.

Tuesday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued an emergency declaration concerning the Ruidoso fires, a move that opens the doors for funding to flow to the response efforts. 

Temporary shelters for people and animals sprang up in multiple communities in the region. A number of organizations launched donation drives to help people affected by the fires.

At least one federal website listed the source of the fires as human-caused. However, Gladden said she wasn’t able to verify that Tuesday.

‘This thing escalated really quick’ 

Monday, long lines of cars formed on major evacuation routes, congested as thousands of people attempted to leave the area at the same time. 

Among the evacuees was Lauren McCullough, who lives in the Rancho Ruidoso Valley Estates northeast of Alto. She said authorities have a “ready, set, go” three-stage warning system that’s supposed to be used to prepare people for evacuating from a fire. But the “get ready” stage hadn’t even been announced when police drove through the neighborhood telling people to evacuate.

“This thing escalated really quick,” she said.

About 30 minutes before police arrived, McCullough said the area was being rained upon by ash originating from the South Fork Fire.

McCullough had several plastic totes filled with decorations for her upcoming wedding. Anticipating a likely evacuation, she and her children emptied those and started filling them instead with “important stuff that wasn't replaceable.” 

“We ransacked our house,” she said. “And shortly after, our power went out.”

PNM power company did cut off power in areas Monday at the request of emergency responders, but it’s unclear if that’s why McCullough’s power was shut off. Phone and internet were spotty or experiencing outages in the Ruidoso area throughout Tuesday.

McCullough’s daughter, who’s attending New Mexico State University, is back home for the summer, which meant the family had two cars with which to evacuate.

“We were able to escape with eight totes, four suitcases and a dog, three cats, a snake and a ferret,” she said. 

About 9 p.m. Monday, the family evacuated north on Hwy. 48. They continued to Albuquerque and are staying in a hotel until they can return, if their home is still standing. McCullough said she’s trying to remain calm in the face of a chaotic situation.

“I have a feeling we'll be OK,” she said. “I definitely pray for the ones who aren't so lucky.”

The fire response was expected to transition to a higher-level federal command structure Tuesday evening, according to Gladden.

Pamela Bonner, a former reporter for the Ruidoso News, also evacuated the community on Monday. She posted dramatic footage of smoke billowing above the town and vehicles waiting to evacuate.

“Thousands of people evacuated and now we will sit and wait to find out if we have a village or a home to return to,” Bonner writes on X. “The stress is utterly overwhelming.”

Tuesday morning, the South Fork Fire was listed as having burned nearly 14,000 acres, and the Salt Fire burned about 4,900 acres.

— By Diana Alba Soular / Posted 8:36 p.m. 06/18/24

Check back for updates.

City of Ruidoso Downs ordered to evacuate, as Salt Fire shifts

The city of Ruidoso Downs was ordered to evacuate fully on Tuesday afternoon due to the Salt Fire shifting.

Ruidoso Downs is located just east of the Village of Ruidoso and was only partially evacuated in Monday’s order, according to Kerry Gladden, spokesperson for the village.

“The Salt Fire is making a run towards the City of Ruidoso Downs,” the village posted on its Facebook page.

Residents shouldn’t try to take belongings or save their property but should leave immediately, officials say.

Phone and internet are spotty or experiencing outages in and around Ruidoso due the fires burning infrastructure, officials said.

The only way for Ruidoso Downs residents to evacuate is east along U.S. Hwy. 70 toward Roswell. The city has a population of about 2,600 people.

The Salt Fire is the smaller of two major fires burning around Ruidoso. It totals roughly 5,500 acres. The much larger South Fork Fire is burning on the west and north of Ruidoso.
— By Diana Alba Soular/ Posted 4:33 p.m. 06/18/24

Unknown number of people didn’t evacuate Ruidoso, despite order

An unknown number of people opted not to evacuate Ruidoso on Monday, despite an order to do so, according to a Village of Ruidoso spokesperson.

While many people did follow an order to leave the 7,700-person mountaintop community, some stayed behind, said Kerry Gladden, public information officer for the village, in a phone interview with the Southern New Mexico Journalism Collaborative on Tuesday.

”We did a mandatory evacuation of the village yesterday afternoon,” she said. “But in New Mexico, it's against the law to make people leave their property. We had a lot of people go, but there were people that stayed.”

Officials don’t know how many residents declined to leave the community.

On Facebook, at least one commenter successfully sought help for a person who was believed to be handicapped and not able to leave the area alone.

Who should people call if they believe someone still needs help evacuating? Gladden pointed people to the incident response headquarters’ line, for now: 202-794-5044. However, she emphasized people should NOT call that number seeking updates about whether properties burned.

Gladden says responders are focused on fighting the fires and aren’t carrying out assessments of the damage yet.

“They’re busy dozing lines and digging lines,” she said. “They’re trying to stop forward progress, as best they can.”

The village, Lincoln County and the U.S. Forest Service are jointly managing the fire response. Gladden said that management will transition this evening to a higher level incident response by the federal government.
— Reported by Diana Alba Soular / Posted 2:46 p.m. 06/18/24

Residents relying on Watch Duty app for Ruidoso fire progress

Residents and evacuees of Ruidoso and surrounding areas are relying on a wildfire notification app called Watch Duty to monitor the progress of two fires near Ruidoso.

The nonprofit-run app was launched in 2021 to counter slow information that can be deadly in a wildfire. Watch Duty “alerts you of nearby wildfires and firefighting efforts in real-time, when every second counts,” the organization’s website states.

“Our service is powered by real people – active and retired firefighters, dispatchers, and first responders – who monitor radio scanners and collaborate around the clock to bring you up-to-the-minute information,” the site says.

Images from the app show alarming progress of the South Fork Fire, which has engulfed areas of north and west Ruidoso, as well as Alto, which is about a 10-minute drive north of Ruidoso.

Find out more about how Watch Duty works. Download the program in your app store.

— By Diana Alba Soular/ Posted 12:48 p.m. 06/18/24

Ruidoso evacuees worry over homes left behind

Evacuees and other property owners from Ruidoso may be safe from an ongoing wildfire, but they remain concerned about the homes and properties left behind.

Pamela Bonner, former journalist for the Ruidoso News, posted on social media dramatic photos of smoke billowing over the village on Monday, as well as the long lines of cars that formed during the community-wide evacuation.

Now, however, she said it’s an agonizing wait to see what happens.

“Thousands of people evacuated and now we will sit and wait to find out if we have a village or a home to return to,” Bonner writes on X. “The stress is utterly overwhelming”

— By Diana Alba Soular/ Posted 11:56 a.m. 06/18/2024

Village: An estimated 500 structures affected by fire

The Village of Ruidoso, which is updating followers on social media, says an estimated 500 structures have been affected by the South Fork Fire so far.

“Crews worked together last night to stop the fire’s spread and providing structure protection where they could. Currently fire behavior is creeping, but a concern today is increased winds that could push the fire further to the east and the northeast,” the village states on its Facebook page.

Both air and ground firefighting operations from multiple agencies, local, state and federal, are working to fight the nearly 14,000-acre blaze. The fire is still 0% contained.

“This is a full suppression fire, and all available resources are responding to help secure line and perform point protection for homes in and around Ruidoso,” according to the post. “Fire response will be broken up into three divisions that will work the fire’s south, east and northeast areas along the fire perimeter. Firefighter safety is a top priority.”

— By Diana Alba Soular / Posted 10:52 a.m. 06/18/2024

Ruidoso fires summary as of Tuesday morning (06/18/24)

SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO — Forest fires prompted the evacuation of Ruidoso and surrounding communities starting on Monday, June 17.

Roads leading to the mountaintop community have been blocked by New Mexico State Police.

Many evacuees were directed east on U.S. Hwy. 70 toward Roswell.

A number of temporary shelters are in operation, including for animals, in the region.

The South Fork Fire is burning on the northwest side of Ruidoso. The Salt Fire is burning to the south and southwest, including along U.S. Hwy. 70, on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, according to fire incident maps.

According to the Village of Ruidoso, the South Fork fire totals nearly 14,000 acres, and the Salt Fire is nearly 4,900 acres. Both have 0% containment.

Meanwhile, another hot day — expected high of 86 degrees — with very low humidity is in the forecast for Tuesday.

— By Diana Alba Soular/ Posted 9:55 a.m. 06/18/24