RUIDOSO, NM- Officials in the Town of Ruidoso announced Tuesday morning that the South Fork Fire is 13,921 acres and is zero percent contained.
It is estimated that this fire has affected about 500 structures.
Crews worked together last night to stop the spread of the fire and provide protection to structures where they could, according to a community report.
Currently, fire behavior is slow, but a concern today is increased winds that could push the fire further east and northeast.
Air resources will be active today as long as it is safe to operate, working in conjunction with ground resources from multiple agencies, including tribal, federal, state and local cooperators.
This is a full suppression fire and all available resources are responding to help secure the line and perform point protection for homes in and around Ruidoso.
Fire response will be divided into three divisions working in the south, east and northeast areas of the fire along the fire perimeter. Firefighter safety is a top priority.
Due to the lack of cell service in the area, crews will work to establish lines of communication.
Southwest Area Incident Management Team 5, a Complex Incident Management Team, will arrive today for briefing and will assume command of the fire at 06:00 tomorrow, June 19.
The South Fork Fire was discovered at 9:00 am on Monday, June 17, 2024; is burning on Mescalero Tribe lands, U.S. Forest Service lands, and within the areas surrounding Ruidoso.
Yesterday the fire growth was rapid with extreme fire behavior and this afternoon and evening long-range spots and intense heat with plume dominance may occur.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
Resources: The fire is managed by a Type 3 Incident Commander, with resources from agencies including BIA, Mescalero, Forest Service, Lincoln County, Otero County, Town of Ruidoso, Ruidoso Downs, Forestry Division.
The Complex Incident Management (CIM) team arrives today at 1:00 pm Bulldozers, heavy equipment and engines are responding from various tribal, state and federal agencies.
Climate: Today’s high will be near 87 and southwest winds at 5 to 15 mph. Near-critical fire weather is expected in the area today.
Smoke: People sensitive to wildfire smoke should take precautions and use the New Mexico Department of Health’s 5-3-1 visibility method to determine if it is safe to be outside.
Learn more at: https://nmtracking.doh.nm.gov/envir…/air/FireAndSmoke.html
An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.
Evacuations/Closures: The Red Cross has reported that 270 people checked into shelters in Roswell and 120 in Capitan.
More evacuation figures will be released once an approximate count has been generated. The town of Ruidoso is closed for mandatory evacuation.
Roads are now closed into the city. People are asked to stay away from the area. More information about shelters and evacuations can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/villageofruidoso
https://www.facebook.com/mescaleroapachetribe
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