South Fork Fire burns 13,921 acres, prompts evacuation of Ruidoso
RUIDOSO, N.M. (KRQE) – Evacuations are happening in Ruidoso on Monday, June 17, 2024, due to the South Fork Fire. Officials are urging Ruidoso residents to evacuate Monday evening.
Anyone in the following areas needs to evacuate immediately:
All of Ruidoso Downs
All of the Village of Ruidoso
Upper Canyon
Brady Canyon
Ponderosa Heights
Alpine Village
Cedar Creek
Lower Eagle Creek
Alto Lakes
Sonterra 1, 2 and 3
All of Alto All the Way to the Outlaw Golf Course
West Gavilan
Sun Valley
Sierra Vista
Villa Madonna
Ski Run Road
All West of Hwy 48
The only route to evacuate is Sudderth to Highway 70 and to Roswell.
If you have any questions, please call the phone bank at the Emergency Operations Center at the following numbers:
575-937-7785
575-973-5604
575-973-8977
Evacuation locations in Roswell:
Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell gym, 52B University Blvd
Livestock/RVs — Eastern New Mexico state Fairgrounds, 2500 SE Main St
Church on the Move Dream Center, 2700 W. Second
Church on the Move, 901 W Brasher
Encanto Event Center, 1010 South Main St.
NMMI Godfrey Center, 101. College
NM Dream Center, 2700 W. Second
Roswell Convention Center, 900 N. Main
Eddy County:
Eddy County Sheriff’s Posse is offering a free place for evacuees’ horses. Call 575-499-3260.
Lea County:
Lea County Fairgrounds is offering a place for evacuees and their horses. There are stables and RV hookups. Call Wyatt Duncan, Fairgrounds Director, at 575-333-0252.
Other Evacuation Locations
The Inn of the Mountain Gods Convention Center (287 Carrizo Canyon Rd, Mescalero, NM) is available for anyone evacuating, both tribal and non-tribal.
Livestock can be evacuated to Mescalero Rodeo Grounds
Carrizozo High School located at 800 D Ave, Carrizozo, NM 88301 is also open for evacuees. According to the Village of Ruidoso Facebook post, Hwy 380 is open through Hondo.
Officials were asking people to shelter at Capitan High School. Mescalero Apache Tribe Reservation residents can go to the Community Center Gymnasium.
About the Fire:
Start Date: June 17, 2024, around 10: 50 a.m.
Location: Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation, approximately 2-3 miles from the Village of Ruidoso limits
Fire Size: 13,921 acres
Contained: 0%
Structures Burned: Multiple under threat, unknown have been lost
Evacuations: Upper Canyon, Brady Canyon, Ponderosa Heights, Alpine Village (west of Musketball), Cedar Creek, Flume Canyon
Area Closures: Grindstone Lake, Highway 48
US 70 is closed from mm 249 (intersection NM 244), 4 miles east of Mescalero, to mm 258, 2 miles east of Carrizo.
Vegetation: N/A
Response: “Full suppression”
PNM said they are ‘de-energizing’ parts of the village. This is a developing story that will be updated as more information comes in. There are reports of multiple other fires burning on the reservation. More information can be found here.
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