Monsoon storms help but hamper containment efforts

Lina Portman7 days ago

0 3 minutes read

Natassia Paloma
| Special to the El Paso Times

Charred houses, once-standing pine trees collapsed and cars burned to the ground: images shared in a recent video of a Ruidoso neighborhood reduced to ruins by destructive forest fires.

The Facebook video posted by the Village of Ruidoso on Thursday, June 27 illustrates the devastation left by the South Fork Fire in the Upper Canyon area, one of several communities affected by the fire.

The South Fork Fire and Salt Fire started on Mescalero tribal lands on June 17 and their causes remain under investigation.

The South Fork Fire and Salt Fire have affected more than 25,000 acres and the fires were 77% contained as of Saturday, June 30, according to the Village of Ruidoso.

The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or people responsible for starting the deadly fires.

All missing persons are accounted for

Residents who had been displaced returned to areas previously closed to search and rescue teams, which are now open. However, certain parts of the village remain “prohibited/exclusive zones”, according to a public map published Friday June 28.

Two deaths have been linked to the fires, and all missing people have now been accounted for, Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford said at a community meeting Thursday, June 27. Fire Chief Ernie Rhodes of FEMA Urban Search and Rescue added that search and rescue teams, with 20 cadaver dogs, have searched about 1,300 burned structures for possible human remains, but none have been found.

Weather conditions impact fire control

Monsoon storms have become common in the region, and rain has helped and hurt efforts to contain the South Fork and Salt fires.

There has been no progression of wildfires, said Brad Johnson, incident commander with the Southwest Incident Management Team.

Containment of the South Fork Fire in the Ruidoso community is stable, Johnson said, but the Mescalero Reservation remains a challenge due to the rugged terrain.

Storms also impact when fire crews can work on the ground.

“As we all know, storms come in the afternoon,” he said. “We try to get people up into the mountains early in the morning and, when the weather conditions improve, we move them away from the fire. »

Rain chances will increase again over the weekend, with slow-moving storms capable of producing high rainfall rates and flash flooding, according to the village of Ruidoso.

Ruidoso Downs races continue despite fires

Horse racing will resume at Ruidoso Downs Race Track and Casino this weekend, with more than 320 horses heading to the starting gate for 34 trial races.

The decision to resume racing was left to the racetrack and the Ruidoso community, said Izzy Trejo, executive director of the New Mexico Racing Commission.

In a video posted to Facebook, Rick Baugh, general manager of Ruidoso Downs Race Track & Casino, said the racetrack was “the safest place to be.”

“We need to put the wheels back on the bus,” Baugh said. “We need to get things done. We're working with the community. We've told our season seat holders you probably have to come and go. We've encouraged that, come in and go.”

New FEMA Aid Arrives in Ruidoso

In addition to requesting federal disaster assistance from FEMA, FEMA will send more personnel to Ruidoso on Friday, June 28, to register its Individual Assistance program, officials said.

Anyone affected by the South Fork and Salt fires can apply for the program, which helps with housing benefits, disaster unemployment assistance, personal property losses and more.

The Individual Assistance Program provides financial and direct services to those who have necessary expenses that cannot be covered by insurance.

A FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Team, or DSA, will visit the hotels, the mayor said.

Link: https://www.fema.gov/assistance/individual

Scams and Frauds

Scams can be rampant after natural disasters, with some seeking to exploit vulnerable residents. Residents should use trusted local contractors within the community and always verify their credentials, FEMA officials said.

Rising prices are also a concern, with some companies even increasing prices for essential goods and services.

This act will not be tolerated, New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez said.

Any suspicion of price gouging and other fraudulent activities may be reported to the Attorney General's Office by:

Online: nmdoj.gov/get-help and complete the online complaint form.
Phone: 505-490-4060, option 3.

All missing persons are accounted for

Weather conditions impact fire control

Ruidoso Downs races continue despite fires

New FEMA Aid Arrives in Ruidoso

Scams and Frauds

Lina Portman

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