From fire to flood: heavy rains prompt water rescue around Ruidoso

SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO – An intense storm brought a new twist Wednesday afternoon to firefighting efforts in Ruidoso: water rescues.

Authorities stressed the need to seek higher ground and touted the mantra “turn around; don’t drown,” encouraging people and drivers to avoid crossing waterways whose strength and danger are not always obvious.

Separately, state police confirmed that a second person has died in the South Fork Fire, a now 16,300-acre blaze that started Monday and quickly expanded over 24 hours.

On Wednesday afternoon, weather officials and local officials urged people in the path of burn scars around Ruidoso to immediately seek higher ground because the risk of flooding was extreme. Burn scars increase the intensity of flooding because there is little vegetation to slow the water, and they increase the risk of mudslides, according to the National Weather Service.

After 5 p.m., the weather service posted on social media platform X: “Water rescues are underway in the Ruidoso area as floodwaters rush down slopes from nearby burn scars. »

Areas likely to be exposed to flash flooding include Ruidoso, Ruidoso Downs, San Patricio, Hondo, Tinnie, Glencoe, Sunset and Hollywood.

Kerry Gladden, a spokesperson for the village of Ruidoso, said the risk of flash flooding Wednesday afternoon forced crews to temporarily withdraw from a number of areas where they were fighting fires, due to concerns about their safety. These included: Upper Canyon, Eagle Drive, Sleepy Hollow, Country Club, Lower Gavilan, Lower Paradise Canyon, Two Rivers and Carrizo Canyon, according to a social media post from the village.

“We have flooding, mudslides and large fields of debris flowing out of the burn scars,” Gladden said in a telephone interview with the Southern New Mexico Journalism Collaborative.

Although Ruidoso and Ruidoso Downs remain under evacuation orders and most people have left the area, an unknown number remained behind, Gladden said. As crews pulled back from fire lines due to the risk of flooding, “they were evacuating anyone who didn't follow the initial evacuation orders,” Gladden said.

Gladden said low-lying areas and bridge crossings could be overrun by runoff and mudslides.

Second confirmed death

Meanwhile, New Mexico State Police confirmed Wednesday afternoon that a second person had died in the South Fork Fire, west and north of Ruidoso.

Around noon, State Police troopers discovered a body “located in the driver’s seat of a burned vehicle on Ranier Road,” according to a news release from the agency.

They are unable to identify the person at this time due to “the condition being that they are skeletal remains.” Additionally, no “readable” identification or documents were found in the vehicle.

This is the second confirmed death following the fire. From Monday night into Tuesday morning, the South Fork Fire burned homes and businesses north and west of Ruidoso and in Alto just to the north. Patrick Pearson died near the Swiss Chalet Inn, where he lived. This is the first confirmed death.

The Swiss Chalet Inn is about 1,800 feet — about a third of a mile — from a segment of Ranier Road, according to Google Maps. However, it is unclear where on Ranier Road the second victim was found.

As of mid-afternoon, the South Fork Fire had burned a total of about 16,300 acres (up about 1,000 acres from Tuesday). A second fire that also broke out south of Ruidoso on Monday, the Salt Fire, grew to nearly 7,100 acres (up from about 1,600 acres the day before). Both were still 0% contained.

On Tuesday evening, authorities announced that a much larger number of structures – 1,400 – were damaged or destroyed than an earlier estimate of 500 structures. Some residents who had access to their properties took stock of the damage Wednesday and posted about it on social media.

Flash flood emergency

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood emergency for the Ruidoso area that is expected to last until 11:15 p.m. Wednesday.

In addition to the two most recent fires, burn scars from the Blue 2 Fire, which started in May, and the 2022 McBride Fire were seen as contributing to flood risks.

Around 6 p.m., runoff from the storm caused a 6-foot increase in the height of the Rio Ruidoso, which runs through the heart of the village. THE The National Weather Service's Albuquerque office called the sharp jump “incredible.”“The increase occurred near the Hollywood area.

The weather service said between 2 and 4 inches of rain had fallen as of 7 p.m.

Early in the morning, firefighting command was transferred to a multi-agency federal group, the Southwest Area Incident Management Team No. 5. Officials said that means additional fire crews and equipment will be available to fight the Ruidoso fires.

Precipitation is mixed

While rain can ease firefighting efforts, it can also create more difficult conditions, depending on the specific circumstances, said David Shell, public information officer for the Fire Department's Incident Management Team. southwest region.

“Thunderstorms, when they collapse, cause outflow winds,” he said. “These are irregular winds. This is a danger for firefighters.

Because of this, crews had to back away from the fire, halting firefighting, Shell said.

“The good thing is it’s raining,” he said.

Heavy and widespread rain could have a beneficial impact.

As of Wednesday morning, more than 250 people were helping fight the fires. But these numbers increased as the day went on. Shell did not have an estimate of how many additional personnel had arrived from across the region.

“We put our firefighters between the city and the fire,” he said.

Response efforts also involve around fifteen planes and helicopters. Water and fire retardants are thrown on the fires.

Shell encouraged residents to take evacuation orders seriously.

“It’s a very active and very dangerous fire front,” he said. “With these storms and headwinds, they can catch the fire and move it forward quickly. »

For more information on the response, residents can call: 575-323-8258.

Cooler days with chances of rain are forecast for the rest of the week. On Thursday, according to the weather service, there is a 60% chance of rain expected with a high of 74 degrees. The chance of rain increases to 80% on Friday and decreases to 30% on Saturday.

Authorities were concerned about the risk of “debris flows,” a type of rapid and deadly landslide.

“These are powerful mixtures of mud, rocks, boulders, entire trees – and sometimes homes or vehicles,” according to the National Weather Service. “You will often hear “debris flows” referred to as “mudslides” or “mudslides.” Many people use the terms interchangeably, but to scientists each represents a different type of landslide and debris flows are the most powerful and dangerous of the three.

The Southern New Mexico Journalism Collaborative is a partnership of local newsrooms working together to cover important stories in the southern half of the state. More information: www.southNMnews.org Or www.surNMnoticias.org.