A screenshot of a webcam showing downtown Ruidoso around 8:30 p.m. on Monday as the fire looms and drivers flee. (Photo Courtesy Village of Ruidoso)
The South Fork Fire in southeastern New Mexico has covered an area more than 21 square miles, according to the latest estimates, causing frenzied evacuations of the picturesque Village of Ruidoso and surrounding areas.
The fire, one of two burning near the village of about 8,000, was first reported around 9 a.m. Monday and quickly grew to nearly 14,000 acres in about 13 hours, according to maps from the National Interagency Fire Center.
The Salt Fire, about five miles southeast of the South Fork Fire, covers an area 4,900 acres, or about 7.5 miles.
Both fires are 0% contained, according to the latest updates. No cause has been determined yet, according to state forestry spokesperson George Ducker.
It’s not clear yet how many structures have been burned in the fire, according to a state forestry spokesperson, though an estimated 500 structures “have been impacted,” Ducker said. The latest maps of the fire show hundreds of structures within the fire’s perimeter as it encroaches into the center of the town.
Crews are working to establish communication lines due to the lack of cell service, Ducker said.
The unincorporated village of Alto, north of Ruidoso, also is squarely in the fire’s path, according to the latest perimeter maps, which are compiled with the help of infrared imagery captured by plane or satellite.
About 270 people have checked into evacuation shelters in Roswell, and 120 people arrived in Capitan, according to Ducker, citing Red Cross reports.
Fire conditions are expected to continue Tuesday, with high temperatures of 86 degrees and winds from the southwest between 5 and 15 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
Today, an incident management team has taken charge of the fire. Updates are being posted on this Lincoln County website, and a state of emergency has been declared, allowing more state resources to be made available.
The fire has forced thousands to flee their homes and prompted the closure of several important highways, including NM 220 from mile marker 0 to mile marker 9 and US 70 from mile marker 245 to mile marker 258, according to NMRoads.com.
The village and surrounding communities, including the Mescalero Apache Tribe, is well-known for winter skiing, horse racing and summer recreation, often drawing tourists throughout the year.
With the Salt Fire and the South Fork Fire, there have been three fires burning thousands of acres in the Ruidoso area this year. The Blue 2 Fire in the White Pines Wilderness, about 7 miles northeast of the village, burned about 7,500 acres and was 92% contained as of June 12.
Ruidoso also suffered from the McBride Fire in 2022, a major fire that resulted in the deaths of two people and burned more than 6,100 acres.
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