At least one person has died as wildfires continue to ravage New Mexico, officials reported on Tuesday.
The New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management confirmed the fatality but did not provide additional details. The wildfires have swept through Lincoln County and the Mescalero Apache Reservation, closing in on the village of Ruidoso “like a pair of tongs,” leading to mass evacuations. The nearby community of Ruidoso Downs also faced an evacuation order on Tuesday.
During a news conference on Tuesday evening, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that two individuals had been injured by the wildfires but were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The governor had previously declared a state of emergency for the affected areas.
Fire officials reported that around 1,400 structures have been destroyed and approximately 8,000 people have been evacuated as of Tuesday.
Wildfires’ Explosive Growth
The South Fork Fire began Monday morning on Mescalero Apache tribal land, rapidly spreading to over 15,000 acres by Tuesday. A second wildfire, the Salt Fire, is burning south of Ruidoso on tribal land, covering more than 5,500 acres.
Both fires are encircling Ruidoso. “It’s like a pair of tongs, and Ruidoso is in the middle,” said New Mexico Forestry spokesperson George Ducker.
Eric Moro, a Ruidoso resident, and his family were forced to evacuate suddenly, leaving them with little time to prepare. “There’s no going back right now. They are trying to get everybody out, and we are not expecting any rain until Friday,” Moro told CNN.
As of Tuesday evening, the neighboring city of Ruidoso Downs, home to about 2,600 people, was also under evacuation orders due to the Salt Fire.
Evacuation Orders and Safety Concerns
Evacuation orders are in effect for parts of the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation, including Snow Springs, Fence Canyon, Whitetail, Chihuahua Well, Fantasy Lane, the Summit area, and Botella Road.
State Forester Laura McCarthy expressed concern over shifting weather conditions. “The wind is in the process of shifting. Since the fire started, it had been a steady southwest wind, and now we’re seeing a shift with the wind coming from the west,” McCarthy said.
Conditions for firefighters are expected to improve as rain chances increase starting Wednesday afternoon, with more significant rainfall anticipated on Thursday and Friday.
The combination of dry air and high temperatures has fueled the wildfires’ rapid growth, prompting the Storm Prediction Center to issue an elevated fire risk warning for most of New Mexico.
Community Impact and Assistance
Despite being home to about 8,000 permanent residents, Ruidoso attracts many tourists due to its recreational trails and parks. Rebecca Dennis, vacationing in Ruidoso with her family, described the chaotic evacuation. “I can’t imagine the chaos had we not been prepared. It was horrible to see the fires all around us,” she shared on Facebook.
With key evacuation routes closed, the village advised that the only exit route was Sudderth to Highway 70 and out to Roswell. The city of Roswell has set up emergency shelters and cleared hospital space to accommodate evacuees from Ruidoso.
Local residents and even people from Texas have stepped in to help. Justyn Brynn, who runs a racehorse rehabilitation center, helped rescue horses. “We hope we can go back and get more. We were only able to get 10 out,” Brynn told CNN.
Electricity utility PNM has shut off power in parts of Ruidoso at the request of first responders to ensure public safety.
Fires Across the Western US
There are currently 29 active large fires burning across the US, including 10 in California. The Post Fire in Los Angeles County has burned over 15,600 acres and is 31% contained. The Sites Fire in Colusa County has reached 10,000 acres with zero containment, while the Point Fire in Sonoma County has burned more than 1,200 acres with 20% containment. The Aero Fire in Calaveras County has grown to 5,249 acres, with 20% containment and 3,690 structures threatened.
Nationwide, nearly 19,000 wildfires have burned almost 2,100,000 acres so far this year, significantly above the 10-year annual average of 1,400,000 acres.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.