6/25 UPDATE: Evacuation orders were lifted for local residents on Monday, June 24th. Tourists and second homeowners have been asked to delay their return to Ruidoso until further notice. Event cancellations are reflected here. Monetary donations are appreciated and can be made to the Community Foundation of Lincoln County Shelter Fund. Find fire resources and more visitor information at ruidosostrong.net.

On Monday, June 17th, multiple forest fires broke out resulting in an evacuation of the Village of Ruidoso and surrounding areas. The South Fork Fire and Salt Fire are currently burning, leaving Ruidoso and much of Lincoln County in the midst of an active wildfire.

The most up-to-date information is being shared by the Village of Ruidoso and Mescalero Apache Tribe Facebook pages, as well as at the South Fork Fire/Salt Fire Information Hub webpage or at 1490 AM. The Incident Status Dashboard and Fire Map and a list of emergency resources and contact information can be found on the Information Hub webpage.

Air and ground resources from multiple agencies are on site to fight the fire’s progress. Additionally, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has declared a State of Emergency in Lincoln County and on the Mescalero Apache Reservation.

Please stay out of the area until further notice. There are no open roads into Ruidoso.

Additional Information from the New Mexico State Forestry Division:

Individuals sensitive to wildfire smoke should take precautions and use the New Mexico Department of Health 5-3-1 Visibility Method to determine if it’s safe to be outside. Learn more here. This interactive smoke map allows you to zoom into your area to see the latest smoke conditions.

Photo taken by Tom Bloemendaal