At least two people have died in connection with wildfires in New Mexico, state police have confirmed. Two others have received medical treatment for injuries.
New Mexico is currently battling two large wildfires that started on June 17: the South Fork Fire and the Salt Fire. These fires have since flanked the entire town of Ruidoso, forcing an evacuation of more than 7,700 residents.
The nearby community of Ruidoso Downs, home to about 2,400 people, has also been evacuated.
The South Fork Fire has burned nearly 15,300 acres, and the Salt Fire has consumed more than 5,550 acres. More than 5,000 structures, including homes and businesses, have been affected.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham told reporters that about 500 homes were thought to be among the more than 1,400 buildings razed by the two blazes, making it one of the most destructive wildfires in state history. The last deadly fire in the state, in 2022, also killed two people.
On June 18, the state of New Mexico deployed additional National Guard members and resources to fight the growing fires. However, firefighters have been unable to contain them.
Heavy rain and hail on June 19 provided a glimmer of hope for firefighters, offering assistance to their containment efforts.
But the weather in the week ahead poses potential new risks. A cold front was expected as early as June 20, which could bring more moisture to the fire-affected areas. However, that comes with a risk of high winds and flash floods, the National Weather Service (NWS) has warned.
“It depends on where they hit. If the rain misses the fires, downward winds could cause problems for firefighters on the ground,” NWS incident meteorologist Bladen Breitreiter stated.
Amid the destruction, there have been stories of people’s resilience and care for their community.
Residents reported that their neighbors were checking on them, offering help, and providing gas when they were running low.
The city of Alamogordo sent a fire crew to Ruidoso to help battle the fires, and the Alamogordo fairgrounds have been turned into an incident command center.
A Facebook page called “Reunite Ruidoso” was set up to help people reconnect with loved ones, as many had to evacuate quickly and had lost contact.
Eastern New Mexico University’s Roswell campus and the city of Las Cruces have set up donation drop-off sites and evacuation centers to support those who have been displaced by the fires.
Ms. Grisham has kept in close communication with first responders. She encouraged those needing help to find their loved ones to call 1-800-733-2767 for reunification assistance.
On June 19, the governor also declared a state of emergency for Lincoln County, northeast of Ruidoso; the Mescalero Apache Reservation, to the south of the southern Salt Fire, has mobilized funds and resources to aid those affected.
She has also urged President Joe Biden to approve a disaster declaration for the wildfires.
New Mexico is caught in a decades-long drought that has made wildfires more destructive.
In 2022, the state suffered the largest blaze—more than 341,000 acres—in the continental United States.
Deep into the peak of the wildfire season, firefighters in California are also battling dry, hot conditions and strong winds as they work to contain a wildfire that started on June 15 northwest of Los Angeles. It has burned through at least 12,000 acres.
U.S. cities have been sweltering through a heat wave this week that has stretched from central to eastern portions of the country, according to the National Weather Service.
