New Mexico: Structures Lost Now At 1,400. One Confirmed Fatality, And Others Missing.
The South Fork Fire and Salt Fire burned a combined 36.5 square miles in 48 hours.
Fire officials have updated the total acreage of the South Fork Fire to 16,355 acres, and the Salt Fire has grown to 7,071 acres. Yesterday, Complex Incident Management Team 5 arrived on scene, and they should be taking command of the fire today. The Salt Fire made a push yesterday toward Ruidoso Downs, which is a popular equestrian area, and that entire community was evacuated. With the evacuation of the village of Ruidoso as well, nearly 9,000+ people have been evacuated across these communities.
The Governor of New Mexico, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, held a press conference to declare a state of emergency for the area and asked folks to contact (833)-NMFIRE6 if they are still looking for missing loved ones in the community. The South Fork Fire is still 0% contained, which is no surprise, and the Salt Fire is showing 1% contained.
The number of structures lost has been updated to 1,400, which is five and a half times more than the Little Bear Fire, which held the state record for the most destructive wildfire in terms of structures lost. That fire took place June 4, 2012, and destroyed 254 structures.
Just last month, the Blue 2 Fire was burning outside Ruidoso in the Little Bear burn scar.
It was also announced that at least 1 fatality has been confirmed; however, the details behind that have yet to come out. The Governor also said crews went in and rescued 7 individuals who were in Lincoln County Medical Center and were unable to evacuate themselves. Crews did everything they could to slow the progression of the fires when they first started, but with the location of the starts, fuels, and weather, it was a very difficult fight.
There are currently up to 13 Hotshot crews staffing both of these fires with a massive amount of other resources, including a very large aviation contingent. They ran the tanker base out of fuel and retardant during the initial attack phase of the fires.
The Southwest Geographic Area Coordination Center, GACC, has ordered an additional 9 Hothsot crews to the Region to help with the fires and any new starts that could occur and would require additional resource support.
Twenty Hotshot crews are in the Southwest from out of area. The Governor said she is awaiting a federal emergency disaster declaration in hopes that FEMA funds will be allocated to help the area. If you have been a longtime listener and reader, you know that this track record isn’t very good, especially in New Mexico.
There has also been a warning not to drink the local water. The New Mexico Environment Department said 24,000 customers in Lincoln County have been affected, and drinking the water could be dangerous, but it can be used for things such as laundry and washing dishes. Frankly, if you can’t drink it, I would be wary of using it for anything until the declaration is lifted.
There is a tremendous amount of work that will need to be done to contain these fires. There is a slight chance for precip this week, but shifting winds will make it difficult for crews and fire managers up until then.
Good luck to all the folks on the ground fighting these fires. Fire season has just started and it is trending to be a busy one. Alaska and California are also busy, and as I said on the show yesterday, nearly 40% of the wildfire workforce has yet to see a busy fire season.
Strap in.
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The speed of this was insane! The sad fact of several Smokey Bear IH crew members losing their homes while engaged on these very fires is sobering and sad.
FEMA+ NEW MEXICO = 0000.00 for those truly in need.
Just ask the folks of North Central New Mexico. 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️