(C) El Paso Matters.org This story was originally published by El Paso Matters.org and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Ruidoso wildfires: How to help and 7 other things to know [1] ['Cindy Ramirez', 'More Cindy Ramirez', 'El Paso Matters', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Coauthors.Is-Layout-Flow', 'Class', 'Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus', 'Display Inline', '.Wp-Block-Co-Authors-Plus-Avatar', 'Where Img', 'Height Auto Max-Width'] Date: 2024-06-19 The images are startling, heartbreaking: Giant plumes of smoke rising from amid the red flames in the mountainous resort village that thousands call home and many in the Borderland consider a favorite getaway. Two wildfires in and around the Village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, about 135 miles northeast of El Paso, are displacing residents and burning down homes – and have left one person dead and at least two others injured, authorities said Tuesday. A mandatory evacuation was issued Monday for about 5,000 people who live in the Village of Ruidoso, with a separate evacuation ordered Tuesday for the 2,600 residents of the city of Ruidoso Downs east of the village. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday declared a state of emergency for Ruidoso and nearby tribal lands, deploying state National Guard troops to the region to join more than a dozen other groups fighting the fires and providing emergency response services. In a press conference on Tuesday, Grisham said the state has been dealing with fires throughout New Mexico since April and noted that at least four small “hot spots” had recently been reported in Ruidoso before the two major fires – South Fork and Salt – broke out this week. About 20,000 acres ha-d burned as of Tuesday, with zero percent containment, authorities said. Grisham said a request for federal assistance was expected to be filed Wednesday. Why are they called South Fork and Salt fires? The larger of the two fires started near South Fork Canyon, while the smaller fire started by Salt Well Street and Botella Road adjacent to Highway 70. The South Fork fire burned near a townhome on Raquet Court in Ruidoso on Monday, June 17, 2024. (Courtesy Frances Casler) The South Fork Fire had grown to more than 15,000 acres late Tuesday; while the Salt Fire covered nearly 5,600 acres. Both are within the Mescalero Apache Reservation. How and when did the Ruidoso fires start? The South Fork fire was first reported at 9 a.m. Monday, with the Salt fire at about 2 p.m. The Lincoln County Disaster Declaration issued on Monday states that the wildfires were “caused by lightning strikes,” although the New Mexico State Forestry Division said the cause of the fire is under investigation. Grisham said it’s too early to speculate. Who is helping fight the Ruidoso fires? Grisham said Tuesday that 17 state and federal agencies are on the ground with 800 personnel providing various services, including battling the fire and acting as first responders. Among them are 13 “hot shot” crews who are highly specialized in wildfires alongside other specialty land and air fire suppression teams. Helicopters are assisting with water drops while large air tankers are dropping slurry – a red-colored fire retardant usually made of water and fertilizer – as conditions allow. The Southwest Area Incident Management Team 5 – a Complex Incident Management Team comprising various emergency response agencies – was expected to take over the fires as of 6 a.m. Wednesday. How many people have been evacuated from Ruidoso? It’s estimated 5,000 people were evacuated from the Village of Ruidoso, including seven patients who had been hospitalized and 17 people who lived in an assisted living facility. Ten shelters have been set up near Ruidoso, including at Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell. Another 2,600 people were ordered to evacuate Ruidoso Downs. An estimated 1,400 “structures” had been reported “lost” in the South Fork fire alone as of 10 p.m. Tuesday. The Swiss Chalet, a 62-year-old hotel on Mechem Drive, is among the buildings reported as destroyed. Is there any rain in the forecast for Ruidoso? The National Weather Service forecasts a 30% chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms after 3 p.m. Wednesday, with a 60% chance of thunderstorms between 9 p.m. and midnight. The chance of rain increases up to 90% through Thursday and Friday, with rainfall totals of up to three inches. The thunderstorms are both good news and bad news, however, as they create shifts in the wind that could push the fire further east and northeast, said New Mexico State Forester Laura McCarthy during the Tuesday press conference. “This fire is dangerous and fast moving and the winds are strong,” she said, adding that there’s concern for the safety of firefighters and aircraft pilots battling the fire. “The weather is dynamic right now.” Midtown Ruidoso as seen through a web camera on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. (Courtesy Ruidoso Visitor Information Center) Jason Laney, a warming coordination manager with the National Weather Service in El Paso, told El Paso Matters that Wednesday’s thunderstorms in Ruidoso are “going to be a detriment because the rainfall will be isolated and thunderstorms are notorious for producing erratic winds and possible lightning.” Laney said an incident meteorologist from the NWS El Paso office was deployed to the command center in Alamogordo to model wind shifts to keep ground troops away from danger. How is smoke from the fire impacting the region? The New Mexico Department of Health reminds people that even if you can’t smell the smoke does not mean the air quality is safe. The department urges the use of the Environmental Public Health Tracking Program’s 5-3-1 Visibility Method to determine if it’s safe to be outside. The tool helps you estimate the air quality based on how far you can see outside during a wildfire and what actions you can take to protect yourself based on your age, health and other factors. A popular mural in Midtown Ruidoso, as seen in 2023 (Cindy Ramirez/El Paso Matters) The smoke is unlikely to directly impact El Paso, however – at least according to what the wind models show through the end of the week, Laney said. The wind’s trajectory will direct smoke away from El Paso. How can I help the people of Ruidoso who’ve been impacted by the fire? Officials are discouraging people who don’t live in the southern New Mexico area from driving into Alamogordo or nearby cities to drop off donations. However, if you’re in the area, you can drop off donations at the National Guard Armory in Roswell, New Mexico, 1 E. Earl Cummins Loop. The guard will distribute donations to various shelters and emergency relief sites. You can donate online to the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, which has set up a Greatest Needs Impact Fund for Lincoln and Otero Counties. The Greatest Needs fund will provide immediate and long-term recovery needs of people, animals and places affected by the wildfires, the foundation states on its website. You can also mail checks to 2640 El Paseo Road, Las Cruces, NM 88001. Make checks payable to Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico and include “Impact Fund for Lincoln and Otero Counties” on the memo line. The Mescalero Apache Tribe has set up a GoFundMe fundraising account to support its emergency response efforts, including two evacuation sites for tribal and non-tribal families. The Paso del Norte Community Foundation in El Paso has set up a Wildfire Relief Fund to support residents and responders in need. This is also in partnership with the community foundations in southern New Mexico and Lincoln County. Donations of cases of water, Gatorade and ice chests are being accepted through 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Wyatt Underwood Law Office, 705 Texas Ave. The donations will be delivered on Thursday. Where can I keep up with the latest on the Ruidoso fires? The Village of Ruidoso is posting regular updates on its Facebook page, as well as on its official government website. You can also follow the New Mexico Forestry Division on X or the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. [END] --- [1] Url: https://elpasomatters.org/2024/06/19/ruidoso-fires-how-to-help-evacuation-south-fork-salt-new-mexico/ Published and (C) by El Paso Matters.org Content appears here under this condition or license: Creative Commons CC BY-ND 4.0 International. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/elpasomatters/