The South Fork and Salt Fires near Ruidoso, New Mexico, have forced the evacuation of around 8,000 residents.
Tragically, one person has died and over 1,400 structures have been destroyed.
The fires have already burned more than 23,000 acres by Wednesday morning and the South Fork Fire remains zero percent contained, as reported by EverythingLubbock.com.
Fire Horror In New Mexico: The entire town of Ruidoso, New Mexico, nearly 8,000 people were evacuated.
The South Fork, Salt, and Penn Scott Fires have turned into this town’s worst nightmare. #Wildfire #NewMexico pic.twitter.com/pFelMXoGeh— John Cremeans USA (@JohnCremeansUSA) June 18, 2024
Christy Hood, a real estate agent and resident of Ruidoso, mentioned to the Associated Press that Governor Michelle Grisham’s state of emergency declaration and evacuation order were issued so suddenly that she and her husband, Richard, only had enough time to gather their two children and two dogs.
“As we were leaving, there were flames in front of me and to the side of me,” she told the AP. “And all the animals were just running — charging — trying to get out.”
“It looked like the sky was on fire. It was bright orange,” she said. “Honestly, it looked like the apocalypse. It was terrifying and sparks were falling on us.”
A post on social media platform X displays the transformation of a log cabin before and after it was affected by a wildfire.
Please pray for the Village of Ruidoso. 1,400 homes lost, including our own.
On the bottom is the last picture I took of our cabin that we rented out as an AirBnB. We had just finished rebuilding the front deck. We had slowly redone just about everything in it over the last 8… pic.twitter.com/AbR8VFqHfY
— The Professor's Record – David K. Clements (@theprofsrecord) June 19, 2024
The ravaging flames destroyed over 1,400 homes, businesses, and other structures.
As of the morning of Tuesday, June 18, the fire had destroyed over 19,000 acres in the Ruidoso area.
The fires are still at 0% contained.
Over 500 homes have been lost, multiple businesses destroyed and thousands have been displaced.#prayforruidoso
Photos: AP pic.twitter.com/4uCDcAG2la
— KTSM 9 News (@KTSMtv) June 18, 2024
Another X post highlights the significant impact of the fast-moving fires in close proximity to the Village of Ruidoso.
Apocalyptic forest fires are engulfing increasingly large areas in the southern United States
The video shows a forest fire in New Mexico, where the complete mandatory evacuation of the village of Ruidoso, with a population of eight thousand, began yesterday evening. pic.twitter.com/3izKm0pzgG
— S p r i n t e r F a m i l y (@SprinterFamily) June 18, 2024
Governor Grisham announced a state of disaster on Tuesday and mobilized National Guard units to offer emergency aid, according to the AP.
The ongoing high winds are exacerbating the flames and posing challenges for firefighting teams.
Thank you to all the fire crews, first responders, law enforcement and volunteers working tirelessly to protect the Ruidoso area and those who reside there. May God bless them as they continue the fight. #SouthForkFire #SaltFire pic.twitter.com/ncAuAdrgtR
— Yvette Herrell (@Yvette4congress) June 19, 2024
The office of Governor Grisham confirmed the fatality of one individual due to the fires, with no further information provided.
Prayers for the people in Ruidoso NM 🙏🏽🥺 pic.twitter.com/u5sYhU7cqw
— Dr Octothorpe (@octothorpe_dr) June 18, 2024
Emergency shelters are being set up for victims fleeing the deadly wildfires.
Residents of the Mescalero Apache Reservation rest while sheltering at the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort in Ruidoso, N.M., Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Thousands of residents fled their homes as a wildfire swept into the mountain village of Ruidoso in southern New Mexico. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)
