Rain calms Ruidoso fires

Lina Portman2 weeks ago

0 2 minutes read

Mayor says searches are underway for other possible victims

Diana Alba Soular
| Southern New Mexico Journalism Collaboration

SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO – Steady rain fell Friday in Ruidoso, a welcome relief from hot, dry weather that helped fuel two wildfires that burned parts of the mountaintop village and the neighboring Mescalero Apache reservation.

The rain started around 10 a.m. and continued steadily for several hours, said Kerry Gladden, a spokeswoman for the village of Ruidoso.

“It's not as heavy as expected, but it's still heavy enough to cause some flow,” she said.

More: Cherished Ruidoso vacation home among many that could be lost to South Fork Fire

Nearly a third of an inch fell in a one-hour period at one point Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

Authorities issued an alert to residents over concerns about further flash flooding in low-lying areas, a threat that first emerged Wednesday when a large storm hit several burn scars. Gladden said the area saw more debris flows Friday, a fast-moving and dangerous type of mudslide.

Thunderstorms were possible and could worsen flash flooding.

Abundant moisture and light rain are expected to slow the spread of the South Fork Fire, burning to the west and north of the village, and the Salt Fire, burning to the south. Officials said this favorable weather change is expected to last a few days and give crews a chance to make progress in containing the fires.

And for the first time since the start of the fires, on June 17, the authorities published containment percentages.

As of 8:41 a.m. Saturday, the South Fork Fire was rated at 26 percent. As of 7:40 p.m. Friday, the salt fire was considered 7 percent contained.

Ruidoso and the adjacent Ruidoso Downs remain under mandatory evacuation orders, even though some people never paid attention and continue to live in their homes.

Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford posted a video update on Facebook saying the National Guard is in the village protecting evacuated properties. Searches are underway for other possible victims.

“We have serious damage; we have teams that come with dogs to search for dead people,” he said. “Out of respect for these families, we ask that you stay out of these areas. In fact, we're going to apply it.

Two people are confirmed to have died in the fires.

According to a preliminary estimate, 1,400 structures were damaged or destroyed by the fire. These can include homes, businesses, and structures that are not homes, such as outbuildings. Thousands of people remain displaced by the disaster and face an uncertain timeline for when they will be able to return to their properties not damaged by the fires.

On Friday, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján and Martin Heinrich toured Roswell and Mescalero, where evacuees are staying, as well as emergency operations in Ruidoso.

Evacuation update

Mandatory evacuation orders remain in effect for several areas in and near the fire. Contact the Lincoln County Emergency Operations Center at 575-258-6900 if you have any questions. Road and trail closures are in effect throughout the fire area. New Mexico Route 48 and U.S. Route 70 at Apache Summit are closed; The open evacuation route is Highway 70 to Roswell. State Highway 48 is closed from Alpine Village/University to New Mexico State Highway 220. U.S. Highway 70 is closed from milepost 249, four miles east of Mescalero, to milepost 258, two miles east of Carrizo.

Closure update

A South Fork Fire Emergency Closure Order was issued June 20, 2024 for National Forest lands in the Smokey Bear Ranger District. Identified areas, as well as roads and trails within them, are closed to public access to allow firefighting personnel to work and pass through the fire zone safely.

Mayor says searches are underway for other possible victims

Evacuation update

Closure update

Lina Portman

Related Articles

DJ was kind when I was a lonely teenager and I'd like to thank him

GUEST OPINION: Lobbyists advocate for prostitution in Rhode Island

Broken noses and bloodshed mark this refreshingly disjointed teen comedy

Storms bring much-needed rain, but lightning sparks fire concerns