This region attracts thousands of horse racing enthusiasts every summer. This community also knows the devastating effects wildfires can have.
A decade ago, Ruidoso was hit by a fire that ravaged part of its village. More than 240 homes were destroyed and 70 square miles (181 kilometers) of forest were engulfed in a lightning-sparked fire.
Now Mayor Lynn Crawford rallies heartbroken residents as firefighters tried to stop wind-whipped flames making another run at the village, hundreds of homes, and summer cabins that dot these mountainsides, on Friday.
Over 200 homes have been destroyed by fire, and an elderly couple were found dead in their burned home. Although power has been restored to most of the affected customers, close to 5,000 people still need to be evacuated.
Crawford stated that the village is flooded with donations from nearby communities.
During a briefing, the mayor stated that while we have enough food and plenty of clothing, we still need prayers and thoughts. Our hearts go out again to the families of the deceased and to those who have lost their homes.
The names of the couple who perished have not been released by authorities. After worried relatives contacted police, they discovered their bodies. They claimed that the couple had intended to evacuate Tuesday after the fire erupted but were not found.
The fire destroyed homes in Gavilan Canyon near where the bodies were found. A 18-home RV park was totally destroyed.
Douglas Siddens, the park's manager, stated that he had displaced about 10 people. They lost their homes, everything and even my mom.
Siddens stated that his mother was at work when the fire started and she only had the clothes she had on, and that's all her family has left.
The RV park was evacuated by everyone, but the fires had already started. Siddens stated that all that remains are steel wheels and metal frame rails.
Ruidoso is home to many elderly residents all year. However, Ruidoso's population of approximately 8,000 grows to around 25,000 in the summer months when Texans and New Mexicans move from warmer climates seeking refuge. Ruidoso Downs is home to the richest quarter-horse race in the country. Horse races also attract large crowds. The racing season is expected to begin May 27th. Horses that board the Ruidoso Downs aren't at risk as fire officials use it as a staging area.
Part-time residents took to social media in the past few days to plead with fire officials for information on specific neighborhoods. They hoped their family cabins wouldn't be among the damaged or destroyed.
As residents of the village called to report more smoke, the hotlines were lit up on Friday afternoon. Mike DeFries, fire information officer, said that there were flare-ups in the interior of the fire because the flames discovered pockets of unburned material.
Although the fire did not make any attempts to run at the lines crews, he stated that it was still difficult for firefighters because of single-digit humidity, higher temperatures, and wind.
Authorities reiterated that it was too soon to allow people to view the damage. As fire crews battled to extinguish the flames, they asked for patience and attempted to create a stronger perimeter.
DeFries stated that "it's still an active area of fire in there and it is not a safe spot." It will take patience. However, we are taking every step to put out the flames and get people home as quickly as possible.
New Mexico authorities believe the fire that scorched more than 9.5 miles (24 km2) of forest and grass was started by a downed electric line. The investigation continues Friday.
Large fires were also reported elsewhere in the U.S. this week, including in Texas, Colorado, and Oklahoma.
According to fire scientists, the increase in wildfires has been caused by hotter and dryer weather combined with decades of suppression. This problem is made worse by the Western megadrought, which has been around for more than 20 years and which studies have linked to climate change.
Thursday's National Interagency Fire Center report showed that 18,550 wildfires had erupted over 1,250 square miles (3 237 square kilometers) since the beginning of the year. This is a significant increase from the U.S. 10-year average of 12,290 wildfires, and 835 square mile (2163 km) of burned fires.
