Progress has started on containing the South Fork and Salt fires, fire officials announced Saturday.
The 16,614-acre South Fork Fire is now 26% contained, the State Forestry Division said. The 7,652-acre Salt Fire is now 7% contained. This is a jump from Friday, when neither fire was contained at all.
“While rains assisted with moderating fire activity, this incident is not over,†the . “Hazards exist across the South Fork and Salt fires. Downed power lines, damaged water, sewer and gas lines, localized flooding, fire weakened trees and other environmental hazards continue to pose risks to firefighters and the public.â€
Although Ruidoso residents will be allowed to return to their homes Monday if they wish, the evacuations and road closures are still in effect and “will not be lifted until fire conditions are diminished and hazards have been addressed,†the Forestry Division said.
Full containment is not expected until July 15, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, met Saturday with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford and Mescalero Apache President Thora Walsh Padilla. “These communities have our support for as long as it takes to recover,†Criswell posted on the social media platform X.
Widespread rain Friday “resulted in minimal fire behavior across the area,†the division said. On Saturday, the 1,109 firefighters battling the fire were back at work building and patrolling fire lines and monitoring for hot spots.
“Residents should remember that while fire behavior has been reduced to smoldering and creeping in heavy duff and dead/down fuels with minimal spread, fire can and will still actively burn across the South Fork and Salt fires, especially with changing weather conditions,†the division said.
The cause of the fires is still under investigation; the FBI announced Friday it was joining state and local authorities in trying to determine how the fires started, reported. Since the fires started a week ago, more than 1,400 structures, an estimated half of them homes, have been damaged or destroyed, two people have died, and the communities of Ruidoso and Ruidoso Downs had to be evacuated.
Many parts of the state, including the area affected by the fires and the Las Vegas, N.M., area, have also been dealing with heavy rains and flooding this weekend. Much of the state, including parts of Northern New Mexico and the southern and east slopes of the Sangre de Cristos, are under a flash flood watch for Saturday and Sunday, in Albuquerque. Areas near the South Fork and Salt fire burn scars are also at risk of flooding due to heavy rains, the weather service said.
Parts of Las Vegas had to be evacuated Friday evening due to flooding, and two shelters have been set up in town.
Areas as of midday Saturday were N.M. 65 from mile marker 4 south along Hot Springs Boulevard; the Los Vigiles area; Fountain and Lucille drives; Willow and Stella lanes; El Llano Road; and Cinder Road to Mills Avenue. The city had also closed the Riverwalk Park and was warning people to stay away from floodwaters and the Gallinas River.
City officials were also asking people to limit nonessential water use as a precaution and not use appliances that use large amounts of water. The city also ordered “all car washes and businesses that use excessive water (except for emergency services)†to shut down temporarily. , “increased turbidity in the Gallinas River and Bradner Dam of ash, silt and fire debris†has resulted in delays in processing potable water at the city’s water treatment plant.
