Ruidoso, NM – Residents of a southern New Mexico town were ordered to flee their homes Monday without even taking the time to grab any belongings because of a fast-moving wildfire.
“GO NOW: Do not attempt to collect belongings or secure your home. Evacuate immediately,” officials in Ruidoso, home to 7,000 people, said on their website and in social media posts around 7 p.m.
The New Mexico Public Utilities Company shut off power to part of the village because of the fire, which had grown to at least 2 square miles by the time the evacuation was ordered, KOAT-TV reported. The company said it cut power to about 2,000 homes and businesses, but they should be cleaned up anyway.
CBS Albuquerque affiliate KRQE-TV reported that Ruidoso officials said hot ash from the fire fell on parts of the nearby community of Alto. People were asked to call 911 if they saw any hot ash spots or active flames.
Pamela L. Bonner via Reuters
Southern New Mexico State Police said they were experiencing phone outages that could affect emergency responses to emergencies.
Late Monday evening, New Mexico's fire information page said the fire covered about 8.2 square miles and was zero percent contained.
The glow of the fire could be seen Monday night from a webcam in the city center, where the lights were still on.
The South Fork Fire started Monday on the Mescalero Apache Reservation.
Kaylee Greenlee Beal/REUTERS
The town of Ruidoso is about 75 miles west of Roswell, where several evacuation centers were set up. Roswell officials said arrangements were also being made for people with RVs and/or large animals and that Roswell hospitals were trying to accommodate as many patients as possible who were being transferred from the Ruidoso hospital.
An air quality alert was issued for very unhealthy air in and around Ruidoso due to the smoke.
The Washington Post notes that FEMA designated Ruidoso as a high-risk area in 2000 because of the thick forests that surround it. FEMA said it could fuel wildfires and cause “catastrophic” damage.
