Kathy White of Ruidoso said a firefighter informed her that her home had been destroyed in the blazes. “I have no idea what to do,†she said from Capitan High School on Tuesday. “We have lived there since 2008.â€
CAPITAN — Two wildfires that have displaced thousands of people in Lincoln County and claimed two lives continued to burn uncontained Friday, although fire officials hope better weather will assist in helping to get them under control.
As of Friday, the South Fork and Salt fires were still completely uncontained and burning about 24,000 acres in the Ruidoso area and near Mescalero. The fires have destroyed or damaged an estimated 1,400 structures — about half of them homes, according to Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford. Evacuation orders were still in place and utilities in the area were shut down as more than 1,000 firefighters battled the blaze, with a little help from some more favorable weather as the week drew to a close.
The fires "experienced minimal fire behavior on Thursday due to the variable precipitation on Wednesday and persistent high humidity into Thursday," the State Forestry Division .
"The cooler weather and moderate fire conditions observed on Thursday are expected to continue into Friday," the division said. "Firefighters will continue constructing firelines and utilizing hand crews and bulldozers to protect homes, properties and critical infrastructure."
The wildfires were fueled by the exceedingly dry and hot conditions that have been present in much of the Southwest in recent months, and exacerbated by strong winds that whipped the flames out of control and into Ruidoso.
Tom Bird, a forecaster with the National Weather Service who was assigned to the fire, told The Associated Press this area of New Mexico has received between a quarter and half the average precipitation it usually gets, and this marks the peak of fire season in the Sacramento Mountains.
“You can see with great frequency there's a lot of hot, dry, windy days leading up to right here, this really high peak,†he said, pointing to a chart showing unfavorable conditions on the day the fires started.
“In fact, it was the worst that we’ve seen over the last month,†Bird said.
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell plans to travel to Ruidoso on Saturday to survey the damage and meet with local and state officials, including Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. A federal disaster declaration issued Thursday has cleared the way for more resources to help start recovery as crews continue to corral the flames.
As the fire burned Friday, people such as Kathy White and her son Robert White waited, unsure when they would be able to return home or what they will return to.
Longtime residents — Kathy moved to Ruidoso in 1985, Robert was born there — they said they were among the first batch of evacuees on Monday.
"We went from ready to go like that," Kathy White said in an interview Friday at the Red Cross shelter in Capitan. "We got lockboxes, a change of clothes each and our dogs. And the fire department was already going around, ‘Leave, leave, leave.’
"I ran home from work," she continued. "I could see orange smoke. It was coming."
Kathy White of Ruidoso said a firefighter informed her that her home had been destroyed in the blazes. “I have no idea what to do,†she said from Capitan High School on Tuesday. “We have lived there since 2008.â€
Pam Bonner was also among those to leave early in the day Monday, only to find herself in a line of vehicles that stretched for about a mile. She could see other cars stacking up behind as the glowing horizon became more intense.
“This was unlike anything. The sky was black and orange, and the clouds were like mushroom clouds,†she said. “It was just like a horror movie. It really was.â€
With flames and smoke forcing road closures, there were limited options for getting out. Power had been turned off as a precaution, and communication became a challenge as cell service dropped out. Vehicles were funneled toward evacuation shelters in Roswell, Alamogordo and elsewhere.
The Whites have been at the shelter since Monday night, while their dogs, Bonnie and Clyde, are at a kennel outside the Capitan fairgrounds. They have been told their home burned down but don't yet have official confirmation.
"This fire went so fast and so quick that it’s kind of hard for them to protect homes when they’re trying to get everybody out," Kathy said. "Tuesday or Wednesday it was only 254 firefighters. … Yes, it’s sad we lost our house but I’d rather have that gone than have the firefighter sitting there trying to protect the house and lose his life."
They're trying to stay positive.
"I’m a firm believer in Lord above," Kathy White said. "And I know he's in control."
"We’re safe," she added. "My dogs are safe. We have a bed, food, shelter. We’re being well taken care of."
Their home was a "dome home," which is considered a nontraditional structure, and they were unable to get insurance as a result. However, they did say FEMA will still help them.
"I look at it this way: the roof was starting to leak, now I don't have to replace it," Kathy joked. "And that’s how you do it — you get through this with humor. I had a couple of friends ask, well, how are you? I said ‘Yeah, I'm on vacation. I'm camping.’ That’s how you got to live."
Their positive attitude, which is helping them get through this week, also applies to their view of the future.
"Ruidoso will rebuild," Kathy said. "That town is strong. It always has been, and when things come back we just all get together. That town will rebuild and if nothing else, it'll be built stronger than it was."
"We’re New Mexicans," Robert added. "We don’t fall down that easy and when we do, we get right back up."
