South Fork Fire Near Ruidoso, New Mexico Caused By Lightning

Lina Portman3 days ago

0 1 minute read

The South Fork Fire, which has burned more than 17,000 acres near Ruidoso, New Mexico, was started by lightning, Bureau of Indian Affairs officials said.

An investigation by wildland fire departments and law enforcement has determined that human activity was not the cause of the South Fork Fire, Bureau of Indian Affairs officials said Wednesday, July 3. The cause of the fire was discovered through a “thorough investigation by multiple agencies, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the FBI,” officials said.

The South Fork Fire started June 17 near Ruidoso on tribal lands administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Mescalero Agency. The South Fork Fire has burned 17,569 acres of land as of Wednesday, July 3, officials with the Southwest Area Incident Management Team said. The fire is now 87 percent contained, officials said.

The South Fork Fire burned more than 15,000 acres in the first 24 hours due to high winds, authorities said.

Cause of Salt Fire near Ruidoso still under investigation

Although the cause of the South Fork wildfire is now known, the Salt Fire near Ruidoso remains under investigation, authorities said.

The FBI is still offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for starting the Salt Fire, officials said.

Anyone with information about the cause of the fires is asked to call the FBI at 1-800-225-5324 or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov. People can also text the word “BIAMMU” to 847411 followed by “MESCALERO FIRE + the tip” or simply BIAMMU to 847411 and the tip.

According to officials with the Southwest Regional Incident Management Team, the Salt Fire has burned approximately 7,939 acres of land as of Wednesday, July 3. The fire is now 84 percent contained.

Two people have died in the South Fork and Salt fires, which have displaced more than 8,000 people.

No further information was released.

You can contact Aaron Martinez at [email protected] or on Twitter @AMartinezEPT.

Cause of Salt Fire near Ruidoso still under investigation

Lina Portman

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