South Fork Fire and Salt Fire: 2 dead, 24,001 acres burned, rain slows growth

RUIDOSO, NM — Emergency crews reported rain and high humidity minimized the spread of the South Fork and Salt Fires in the Ruidoso area Thursday.

The South Fork Fire grew to 1,073 acres between Tuesday night and Thursday night, while the Salt Fire grew to 581 acres. That’s a stark contrast from Tuesday, when the South Fork Fire grew to 1,355 acres in one day, while the Salt Fire grew to 681 acres.

Due to rain and high humidity, crews were unable to conduct an aerial survey of the area on Wednesday evening. Therefore, the following estimates of the size of each fire are from their survey on Thursday evening:

• Fire in the South Fork: 16,349 hectares (on Tuesday evening it was 15,276 acres, on Monday evening 5,252 acres)
• Salt fire: 7,652 hectares (on Tuesday evening it was 7,071 acres, on Monday evening 3,102 acres)

Currently, 1,006 employees are deployed to fight the fires. Both fires are still not under control.

On Friday, we learned that the FBI is now assisting state, federal and tribal investigators in determining how the fires started. The FBI is asking anyone with information that can help the investigation to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).

Officials said precipitation varied from heavy rain and hail (up to 1.6 inches) to drizzle and isolated showers Thursday and into the night. Cooler temperatures and moderate fire conditions are expected to continue Friday.

The focus is on creating firebreaks by hand crews and bulldozer personnel to protect homes, property and critical infrastructure.

On the South Fork Fire, they will use hand tools, hand lines and bulldozers to extinguish smoldering fuel right at the edge of the fire. They will also use machinery to build fire breaks and do cleanup. They will also work to remove material that could spread the fire beyond control lines.

On Friday, control lines will be installed at On the Salt Fire, new lines will be prepared as needed, and work will be done to protect homes and critical infrastructure.

There is still a risk of sudden flooding, as happened on Wednesday when authorities had to withdraw their firefighters from fighting the fire. Utilities such as electricity, water, internet and telephone are also still cut off. This will affect communication and it will be difficult to get in touch with people.

A community meeting was held on Thursday, coupled with the launch of a wildfire dashboard with real-time updates.

Effects

Authorities estimate that around 1,400 buildings have been affected by the fires. The fires have claimed two lives, the New Mexico State Police confirmed on Wednesday.

NMSP said they found a dead person in a burned vehicle on Rainier Road in Ruidoso Tuesday morning. Due to the condition police found the person in, they have not yet been able to identify him.

NMSP also reported finding a man with multiple burns near the Swiss Chalet Motel in Ruidoso. They identified him as 60-year-old Patrick Pearson.

Evacuations

The following locations are in “GO” status for immediate evacuation:

Fire in the South Fork: Ruidoso Village (all); Ruidoso Downs (all); Brady Canyon; Ponderosa Heights; Alpine Village; Cedar Creek; Lower Eagle Creek; Alto Lakes; Sonterra 1-3; All Alto to Outlaw Golf Course; Sun Valley; Sierra Vista; Villa Madonna; Ski Run Road; All West Highway 48; All Gavilan Canyon Road; Highway 48-McDonald’s

The evacuation route leads along US Highway 70 towards Roswell.

According to authorities in the village of Ruidoso, there are no open roads to Ruidoso. They also say that the New Mexico State Police are setting up roadblocks at all access points and will not let you through.

Salt fire: Chatto Bluff, Apache Summit, Fantasy Lane, “Houses along Highway 70 from Highway 244 to the eastern reservation boundary,” Bear Canyon and Snow Canyon

If you are having difficulty locating a loved one due to the evacuations, the Ruidoso community directs people to these resources:

The New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management also recommends the following:

“Please do not send trailers to Ruidoso Downs Horse Track yourself. Anyone wishing to assist with the evacuation of horses can call the Agro Guard hotline at 575-646-9191. For more information, visit dhsem.nm.gov/nmwildfires.”

Shelters

Roswell: Eastern New Mexico University gymnasium; Church on the Move; Roswell Convention Center; Godfrey Athletic Center at NMMI. Eastern New Mexico State Fairgrounds is also open as a shelter.

The Red Cross reports that 270 people are in shelters in Roswell. If you are looking for a loved one who has been evacuated, contact Roswell Police at 575-622-7200. Keep in mind that smoke is affecting air quality in Roswell.

The Facebook group “Reunite Ruidoso” is also active to bring loved ones back together. Click here to go to the group.

If you have been evacuated and need a prescription medication refill, the Town of Ruidoso is working with local pharmacies to provide medications to evacuated residents.

For Lincoln County Medical Center/Presbyterian, call 844-505-7737. The New Mexico Board of Pharmacy authorizes Presbyterian to refill prescriptions in emergencies like this one.

You can reach Sierra Blanca Pharmacy at 575-937-0663.

Community reaction

If you would like to know how you can help those affected by the fire, here is a list:

Road closures

• US Highway 70, mile 249 (4 miles east of Mescalero) to mile 258 (2 miles east of Carrizo); at Apache Summit
• State Highway 48, from Alpine Village to State Highway 220; at Apache Summit

Firefighting

The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Mescalero, U.S. Forest Service, Lincoln County, Otero County, Village of Ruidoso, Ruidoso Downs and the state Forestry Division are responding with firefighting aircraft and ground resources such as bulldozers, heavy equipment and engines. Additional resources are on order.

According to the City of Alamogordo, the Fire Department is prepared to send resources to Ruidoso to repair any building damage. Alamogordo Police have also been mobilized for possible traffic control. The city is also keeping the Civic Center on standby as a possible evacuation site.

background

The Salt Fire started on Monday on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in Otero County, southwest of Ruidoso. The Salt Fire was estimated to be 1,751 acres in size at 7:24 p.m., and had grown to 35 acres by 5:15 p.m.

The South Fork fire was first reported at 9 a.m. Monday on the Mescalero Apache Reservation west of Ruidoso. By 1 p.m. Monday, authorities estimated it was 20 acres in size, but it spread explosively. By 7 p.m., the fire had grown to an estimated 2,250 acres, and a half hour later to 4,156 acres.

The explosive spread forced the evacuation of the entire village of Ruidoso at around 6:48 p.m. Officials warned that the fire was heading directly toward the village.

“We were just about to sit down to eat when the alarm went off: evacuate immediately, don’t take anything with you and don’t pack anything, just evacuate,” said local resident Mary Lou Minic. “And within three to five minutes we were in the car and driving off.”

The Ruidoso Convention Center was the evacuation center for the fire, but it had to be moved to Capitan High School due to mandatory evacuations. Officials also told people to go to a loved one’s home outside the affected area or to Roswell.

And as a reminder, if you see hot ash spots or an active fire, call 911.

The Tularosa Basin Regional Dispatch Authority is handling emergency calls for the Village of Ruidoso, Ruidoso Downs, and the Mescalero Apache Reservation. Call them if you need assistance.

Southwest Area Team 5 took over the fire at 6 a.m. on Wednesday