New Mexico Ski Town Under Mandatory Wildfire Evacuation
Residents of Ruidoso, New Mexico, a ski town in the southern part of the state, were ordered to evacuate immediately as two wildfires quickly spread threatening the area.
The fires, which began burning on the Mescalero Apache Reservation near Ruidoso, have spread over thousands of acres and damaged several structures. On Monday, officials issued a mandatory "GO NOW" evacuation order for the entire village.
Nearby Ski Apache has suspended summer operations as firefighters continue to manage the fires.
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As of Tuesday morning, the South Fork Fire spanned 13,921 acres and was 0% contained. The Salt Fire is also burning across 4,876 acres in the Mescalero Reservation, Otero County, and southwest of Ruidoso, and is also 0% contained.
According to CNN, "The wildfires’ explosive growth has been fed by very dry air and high temperatures. The conditions prompted the Storm Prediction Center to issue an elevated fire risk warning across most of New Mexico, meaning the wind and low humidity could lead to increased fire threats."
