South Fork Fire destroys over 1 400 structures, forces over 8 000 to evacuate immediately, New Mexico

A rapidly spreading wildfire near Ruidoso village, New Mexico spread over 8 429 ha (20 828 acres) of land since it started on June 17, 2024, destroying around 1 400 structures and forcing over 8 000 residents to evacuate without even being able to gather their belongings.

On June 17, 2024, residents of Ruidoso Village, New Mexico, were ordered to evacuate immediately as the South Fork Fire rapidly spread, consuming approximately 6 180 ha (15 276 acres) and destroying around 1 400 structures. The fire remains zero percent contained, as of June 19, and continues to threaten the area.

The South Fork Fire has exhibited extreme fire behavior, including crowning and long-range spotting, significantly increasing its footprint. The fire is burning on Mescalero Tribal land, U.S. Forest Service land, and within areas surrounding Ruidoso. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

According to George Ducker, Communications Coordinator for the New Mexico State Forestry Division, the fire’s rapid spread is attributed to a combination of heat, strong winds, and abundant fuel in the form of trees and vegetation.

The Salt Fire, another active wildfire burning on the Mescalero Reservation and southwest of Ruidoso, has grown to approximately 2 249 ha (5 557 acres), as of June 19, and is also showing no containment as of the latest reports.

The federal Bureau of Land Management is leading a team of six investigators to determine the cause of the South Fork Fire, a process that Governor Grisham stated “will take time.”

Approximately 8 000 residents have been evacuated, with the entire village of Ruidoso under mandatory evacuation. Authorities have closed U.S. Highway 70 from mile marker 249 (intersection NM 244), 6.4 km (4 miles) east of Mescalero, to mile marker 258, 3.2 km (2 miles) east of Carrizo. The only available evacuation route is via Sudderth to Highway 70, leading to Roswell.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham confirmed that one person has died in the wildfire via an email to CBS, and about 500 people are currently staying in shelters.

Emergency crews, including personnel from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Mescalero, U.S. Forest Service, and multiple aviation assets, are working tirelessly to contain the blaze.

As of Tuesday evening (LT), June 18, more than 800 personnel were on the ground battling the fire, which has now expanded to over 8 094 ha (20 000 acres). Fire emergency crews evacuated seven people from a local hospital and treated two for non-life-threatening injuries. Additionally, the Public Service Company of New Mexico has shut off electricity to approximately 2 000 homes and businesses in part of the village.

Weather conditions are expected to change, with scattered showers and thunderstorms forecasted for tomorrow, which may impact the fire’s behavior. Tonight’s low temperature is predicted to be 13 °C (56 °F) with southwest winds of 8 to 24 km/h (5 to 15 mph) and relative humidity between 12% and 16%. Tomorrow’s high is expected to be around 29 °C (85 °F) with southeast winds increasing to 16 to 24 km/h (10 to 15 mph) in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 30%.

The New Mexico Department of Health advises individuals sensitive to wildfire smoke to use the 5-3-1 Visibility Method to determine if it’s safe to be outside. An interactive smoke map at https://fire.airnow.gov/ provides the latest smoke conditions.

The evacuation has caused traffic congestion and disrupted daily life, with cellphone and internet services failing during the evacuation process. Residents have reported seeing flames as high as 30 m (100 feet) and experiencing dense smoke making breathing difficult.

Officials hope that the predicted rain on Thursday, June 20, will aid in firefighting efforts. In the meantime, the New Mexico state government and local authorities continue to provide support and resources to those displaced by the wildfires. Governor Grisham plans to visit the affected areas within 24 hours to assess the damage and coordinate ongoing response efforts.

References:

¹ IMMEDIATE MANDATORY “GO” EVACUATION FOR THE VILLAGE OF RUIDOSO – Municipal website, village of Ruidoso – JUNE 17, 2024

² South Fork Fire, Salt Fire Evening Update – NMfireinfo – June 18, 2024

³ New Mexico village of Ruidoso orders residents to evacuate due to raging wildfires: “GO NOW”- CBS – June 18, 2024

Rishav Kothari

I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.

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