A whole village in New Mexico is evacuated due to the merging of two fires, described by an official as approaching like a pair of tongs.
Smoke blanketed the sky over the small town of Ruidoso on Monday night, as a convoy of vehicles snaked out of the area. Approximately 5,000 residents were urged to leave due to the encroaching South Fork Fire, according to George Ducker, a spokesperson for New Mexico Forestry.
The South Fork Fire ignited on Monday morning on tribal land of the Mescalero Apache and swiftly expanded to at least 3,000 acres by evening, Ducker stated. A second blaze, the Salt Fire, is also raging on tribal land south of Ruidoso, consuming 2,000 acres.
Ducker described both fires as being like "a pair of tongs," with Ruidoso situated right in the middle. Several structures have been leveled, though the extent of the damage remains unclear.
Evacuation orders have been issued for parts of the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation, which lies south of Ruidoso, including Snow Springs, Fence Canyon, Whitetail, Chihuahua Well, Fantasy Lane, Summit area, and Botella Road, the tribe disclosed.
New Mexico State Police disclosed that first responders are grappling with phone outages in their southern communications center, potentially impairing their ability to answer 911 calls.
Ruidoso, although home to just around 8,000 permanent residents, attracts a steady stream of recreational tourists due to its winding trails, extensive parks, and wilderness. The village estimates that around 60% of its houses are vacation homes.
Rebecca Dennis, vacationing in Ruidoso with her family, could catch the scent of smoke on Monday morning and preemptively packed the family's belongings as the fire appeared to draw near. Upon the village's evacuation order, the family hit the road to drive back to their home in Oklahoma.
"I can't even imagine the chaos had we not been prepared. I truly feel awful for those residents & everyone. But it was ... horrifying to see the fires all around us," Dennis shared on Facebook.
By Monday evening, few escape routes remained from Ruidoso after both Highway 48 and Highway 70 at Apache Summit were shut down due to the South Fork Fire, the village informed on Facebook: "The only path for evacuation is via Sudderth to Highway 70 and out to Roswell."
The town of Roswell – approximately 70 miles east of Ruidoso – rushed to cater to evacuees on Monday, including by freeing up hospital space for patients being moved from the Ruidoso hospital and establishing emergency shelters for people and livestock.
A shelter is available at Eastern New Mexico University, and evacuees with RVs or large animals can also house and board their animals at the Eastern New Mexico State Fairgrounds, the town of Roswell declared.
Electricity provider PNM stated it turned off power in parts of Ruidoso at the request of first responders. As of Monday night, around 800 households and businesses were affected, the utility reported.
"Public safety is our top priority and we do not take this decision lightly but are working closely with our first responders to aid the affected communities," the utility stated on Facebook.
The rapid spread of the wildfires has been fueled by extremely dry air and high temperatures. These conditions prompted the Storm Prediction Center to issue a heightened fire risk warning across most of New Mexico, meaning the wind and low humidity could contribute to increased fire hazards.
The wildfires scorching southern New Mexico are among a string of fires burning across the West, including a 15,000-acre blaze in Los Angeles County.
As humans continue to contribute to climate change through fossil fuel pollution, scientists warn that fast-spreading, destructive wildfires will become more prevalent, in part due to hotter temperatures and widespread drought conditions.
Areas of Lincoln County, where Ruidoso is located, are suffering from multiple levels of drought, ranging from moderate to extreme, according to the US Drought Monitor.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN’s Melissa Alonso, Dave Alsup, Amanda Jackson, and Robert Shackelford contributed to this report.
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The evacuation orders also affect parts of the US, specifically the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation, which is urging its residents in areas such as Snow Springs, Fence Canyon, Whitetail, and others to leave. Due to the evacuation, the Dennis family, who were vacationing in Ruidoso, had to pack up and drive back to their home in Oklahoma.
