Public services broken, evacuations still in place

Lina Portman2 weeks ago

0 3 minutes read

Adam Powell
| El Paso Times

The past week has been a disaster for residents of and around Ruidoso, New Mexico.

The South Fork and Salt fires were sparked earlier this week – the South Fork fire was reported shortly after 9 a.m. on Monday, June 17, and the Salt fire was reported later in the afternoon.

Originating in the Mescalero Apache, the two fires have burned just over 24,000 acres in the area so far. With more than 1,000 firefighters, firefighters and law enforcement on the ground, the fires remain at 0% despite wet and cloudy conditions that have slowed the spread of the infernos.

To date, two deaths have been reported as a result of the fires and approximately 1,400 structures have been destroyed. Evacuation orders remain in effect at Ruidoso and Ruidoso Downs.

The devastating fire damage left resort communities limping through what normally would have been a busy summer weekend for residents and tourists.

At a briefing Thursday, officials reported that precipitation that moved through the area Wednesday slowed the momentum of the fires, while the thick canopy of cloud cover left the area cooler and allowed crews to to start entering the area and reach hot spots around structures.

While officials had expressed optimism that the change in weather would help crews lower the containment level, as of Friday afternoon it was still at 0%.

New Mexico fire destroys more than 1,400 structures: governor

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham confirmed during a press conference on Wednesday (June 19) that wildfires in the southern part of the state have destroyed more than 1,400 structures, including homes.

South Fork Fire, Salt Fire update

An operational update posted online Friday by the Southwest Zone No. 5 Incident Management Team, which led the response efforts, said crews were making progress on both fires.

Brandon Glenn, Team 5 operations section chief, said the northern edge of the Salt Fire around Highway 70 “already looks really good.”

“Everything is safe for now,” he said. “It's looking really good. (The crews) feel confident about it.”

Glenn reported that the majority of Friday's work took place around the Salt Fire, along the north and south sides of the fire, where crews were mopping up and securing various areas.

As for the South Fork Fire, crews have focused on the northeast ridge of the fire along Ski Run Road, clearing structures and working to secure the area up to Highway 48 But the steep country and heat slowed their efforts, Glenn said. , so they returned to the region on Friday.

In the areas around Eagle and Cedar Creeks, several structures have shown signs of nearby fire, so crews are working in those areas and assisting utilities in accessing the area to restore service.

More: Ruidoso fires: Horse trainers optimistic racing will resume at Ruidoso Downs racetrack

Dozer lines and handlines were established at the northern edge of Ruidoso and in the Flume Canyon area, where crews continued to work Friday to secure this area.

Current conditions for the Ruidoso fires

An update posted Friday on InciWeb, a government website that tracks wildfires, showed the situation remains dire for people living in and around both fires.

Utilities, including electricity, water, internet and phones, remain down in the South Fork and Salt areas, straining – if not completely eliminating – communications in the area. Authorities reported Thursday that mobile units had been deployed to provide internet service in the area, but it is unclear how effective those units have been.

Mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect in both areas and several roads and trails remain closed, including Highway 48 and Highway 70 in Apache Summit. The official evacuation route is Highway 70 to Roswell.

And while crews are celebrating the cooler, wetter weather that has supported their efforts, the report notes that expected thunderstorms in the region could cause flash flooding and debris flows, which will be especially dangerous in the face of thousands of acres of woods burned and broken. .

South Fork Fire, Salt Fire update

Current conditions for the Ruidoso fires

Lina Portman

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