RUIDOSO, N.M. (AP) — Permanent residents of Ruidoso will be able to return home Monday morning as federal authorities try to prosecute those who started a pair of wildfires in New Mexico that caused the killed two people and destroyed or damaged more than 1,400 structures.
The FBI reported that it is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the South Fork Fire and Salt Fire in southern New Mexico, which forced thousands of people to evacuate.
The federal agency also said it was seeking public help to identify the cause of the fires detected on June 17 near the town of Ruidoso.
But the ad also suggested that the blame lay in human hands, saying the reward was for information leading to the arrest and conviction of “the person or persons responsible for starting the fires.”
Lincoln County Administrator Randall Camp stated at a news conference Saturday that “we are approaching 1,000 homes lost” in the fires.
President Joe Biden on Thursday issued a disaster declaration for parts of southern New Mexico. The move freed up funds and more resources to assist in recovery efforts, including temporary shelters, low-cost loans to cover unsecured properties and other emergency efforts in Lincoln County and on lands owned by the Mescalero Apache Tribe.
The National Interagency Fire Center said the South Fork Fire, which reached 67 square kilometers (26 square miles), was 31% contained as of Sunday. He noted that the Salt fire, which has spread to more than 31 square kilometers (12 square miles), was now 7% contained.
Both fires had been at zero containment on Friday. Full containment is not expected until July 15, according to firefighters.
More than 1,100 firefighters continued to battle the flames in steep, rocky terrain on Sunday.
The South Fork and Salt fires continue to burn on both sides of Ruidoso and a threat of flash flooding still looms over the town.
Officials said downed power lines, damaged water, sewer and gas lines, as well as flooding in burned areas, continued to pose risks to firefighters and the public.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham toured part of the disaster area on Saturday with Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell.
Even with federal and state aid on the table, Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford estimates it could take at least five years for the area to fully recover.
Ruidoso officials said those who want to return home on Monday should bring drinking water and at least a week’s worth of food. They warned residents that homes may be without gas, electricity or water.
