RUIDOSO, N.M. — The wildfires in Ruidoso continue to burn and even with the rain and flooding in the area, as of Friday, the South Fork and Salt fires are reportedly both still at zero percent containment.
The rain and cooler temperatures have provided much-needed relief for firefighters working on the ground. Thunderstorms may develop Friday, bringing the potential for heavy rain, flash flooding and debris flows.
Utility service outages including electricity, water, internet and phone service, continue to impact communications, making it difficult to contact residents and visitors.
South Fork Fire update:
Firefighters continue constructing firelines and using hand tools directly at the fire’s edge.
Hose lines and bulldozers are being used to extinguish smoldering fuels and build firelines.
Mop-up operations are ongoing to prevent the fire from creeping past control lines.
A South Fork Fire emergency closure order was issued Thursday for national forest lands within the Smokey Bear Ranger District. The area is closed to public access to ensure safety of firefighting personnel and the public. A temporary flight restriction is also in place over the fire area.
Salt Fire update:
- Crews are constructing control lines, preparing new lines as needed and conducting point protection for private property and critical infrastructure.
- Ground and air ignitions will be used to burn out fuels between firelines and active fire.
- Damage and structure assessments are underway, with more protection needs being identified.
As of Friday, the South Fork Fire has burned an estimated 16,349 acres and the Salt Fire is at an estimated 7,652 acres.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday he directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to deploy Texas A&M Task Force 1 personnel to Ruidoso for wildfire search and rescue response support at the request of FEMA.
Texas A&M Task Force 1 has deployed an incident support team cache comprised of support personnel, semi-trailer trucks, a communications vehicle, command vehicle and equipment.