Firefighters fill 18,000 sandbags to support communities Mescalero Apache Tribe Emergency Operations Center: 575-464-9214 (8am-6pm)  Village of Ruidoso and Lincoln County Emergency Operations Center: 575-258-6900 (7am-10pm)  Fire Information Phone:575-323-8378 or 575-323-8258 (8am-8pm)  Media Information Phone: 575-323-8053 (8am-8pm)  Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov  Acres: South Fork – 17,569; Salt – 7,939 Start Date: June 17, 2024  Location: South Fork […]

Severe flooding prompts evacuations, Crews to assist in flood mitigation Mescalero Apache Tribe Emergency Operations Center: 575-464-9214 (8am-6pm)  Village of Ruidoso and Lincoln County Emergency Operations Center: 575-258-6900 (7am-10pm)  Fire Information Phone:575-323-8378 or 575-323-8258 (8am-8pm)  Media Information Phone: 575-323-8053 (8am-8pm)  Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov  \Acres: South Fork – 17,569; Salt – 7,939 Start Date: June 17, 2024  […]

Scattered storms cause severe flash flooding Mescalero Apache Tribe Emergency Operations Center: 575-464-9214 (8am-6pm)  Village of Ruidoso and Lincoln County Emergency Operations Center: 575-258-6900 (7am-10pm)  Fire Information Phone:575-323-8378 or 575-323-8258 (8am-8pm)  Media Information Phone: 575-323-8053 (8am-8pm)  Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov  Acres: South Fork – 17,569; Salt – 7,939 Start Date: June 17, 2024  Location: South Fork – […]

All zones now open to residents; Crews remain vigilant in detecting hot spots Mescalero Apache Tribe Emergency Operations Center: 575-464-9214 (8am-12am) Village of Ruidoso and Lincoln County Emergency Operations Center: 575-258-6900 (7am-10pm) Fire Information Phone:575-323-8378 or 575-323-8258 (8am-8pm) Media Information Phone: 575-323-8053 (8am-8pm) Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov Acres: South Fork – 17,569; Salt – 7,939                                          Start Date: […]

As more areas reopen, caution is advised Mescalero Apache Tribe Emergency Operations Center: 575-464-9214 (8am-12am)  Village of Ruidoso and Lincoln County Emergency Operations Center: 575-258-6900 (7am-10pm)  Fire Information Phone:575-323-8378 or 575-323-8258 (8am-8pm)  Media Information Phone: 575-323-8053 (8am-8pm)  Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov  Acres: South Fork – 17,569; Salt – 7,939 Start Date: June 17, 2024  Location: South Fork […]

Ground efforts hindered by severe weather conditions Mescalero Apache Tribe Emergency Operations Center: 575-464-9214 Village of Ruidoso and Lincoln County Emergency Operations Center: 575-258-6900 Fire Information Phone:575-323-8378 or 575-323-8258 Media Information Phone: 575-323-8053 Phone Line Hours: 8 am – 8 pm Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov Acres: South Fork – 17,569; Salt – 7,939 Start Date: June 17, […]

Containment increases and suppression repair work begins Mescalero Apache Tribe Emergency Operations Center: 575-464-9214  Village of Ruidoso and Lincoln County Emergency Operations Center: 575-258-6900  Fire Information Phone:575-323-8378 or 575-323-8258   Media Information Phone: 575-323-8053  Phone Line Hours: 8 am – 8 pm  Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov  Acres: South Fork – 17,569; Salt – 7,939                           Start Date: June […]

Containment increases on the South Fork and Salt fires   Mescalero Apache Tribe Emergency Operations Center: 575-464-9214  Village of Ruidoso Emergency Operations Center: 575-464-9214  Fire Information Phone:575-323-8378 or 575-323-8258   Media Information Phone: 575-323-8053  Phone Line Hours: 8 am – 8 pm  Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov  Acres: South Fork – 17,556; Salt – 7,947 Start Date: June 17, 2024  Location: […]

Evacuations lifted; Crews mop-up, secure perimeter and conduct structural assessments as weather allows Fire Information Phone: 575-323-8378 or 575-323-8258   Media Information Phone: 575-323-8053  Phone Line Hours: 8 am – 8 pm  Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov  Acres: South Fork – 17,551; Salt – 7,816                                     Start Date: June 17, 2024  Location: South Fork – Ruidoso Area, Salt – 7 […]

Community meeting tonight; Fire suppression is ongoing, hazards still present  Public Information Line:575-323-8258 or 575-323-8378  Media Information Line: 575-323-8053  Phone Line Hours: 8 am – 8 pm  Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov  Acres: South Fork – 17,551; Salt – 7,775 Start Date: June 17, 2024  Location: South Fork – Ruidoso Area, Salt – 7 mile west of Mescalero, […]

Area closures remain in effect as hazards are assessed and addressed Public Information Line:575-323-8258 or 575-323-8378  Media Information Line: 575-323-8053  Phone Line Hours: 8 am – 8 pm  Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov  Acres: South Fork – 16,614; Salt – 7,652                    Start Date: June 17, 2024  Location: South Fork – Ruidoso Area, Salt – 7 mile west of […]

Utility outages continue as cooler, wetter weather help firefighters on the ground; localized flooding remains a threat Public Information Line:575-323-8258  Media Information Line: 575-323-8053  Phone Line Hours: 8 am – 8 pm  Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov  Acres: South Fork – 16,349; Salt – 7,652                     Start Date: June 17, 2024  Location: South Fork – Ruidoso Area; Salt – […]

Acres: South Fork – 16,335; Salt – 7,071      Start Date: June 17, 2024  Location: Ruidoso, NM      Personnel: 824  Containment: 0%      Fuels: mixed conifer, grass, pine/juniper  Resources:  Crews, heavy equipment, engines, helicopters and air tankers.  Highlights: A community meeting is schedule for 5 pm, Thursday, June 20, 2024. All community members are welcome to […]

Evacuations in place with continued fire growth expected  Public Information Line:575-323-8258  Media Information Line: 575-323-8053  Phone Line Hours: 8 am – 8 pm  Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov   Acres: South Fork – 16,335; Salt – 7,071            Start Date: June 17, 2024  Location: Ruidoso, NM Personnel: 254  Containment: 0%        Fuels: mixed conifer, grass, pine/juniper  […]

South Fork Fire  Update: The South Fork fire is estimated at 15,276 acres and is zero percent contained. Fire activity included crowning and long-range spotting, which increased the fire’s footprint from this morning’s acreage total. Today, response crews were able to directly engage areas of the fire’s footprint when conditions allowed. Approximately 1,400 structures in the […]

South Fork Fire Update: This morning, the South Fork Fire is 13,921 acres and zero percent contained. An estimated 500 structures have been impacted by this fire. Crews worked together last night to stop the fire’s spread and providing structure protection where they could. Currently fire behavior is creeping, but a concern today is increased […]

The South Fork Fire and the Salt Fire are burning on Mescalero tribal land, US Forest Service land, and the area surrounding Ruidoso. Both fires are being managed by Mescalero Apache Fire Rescue and Bureau of Indian Affairs. Complex Incident Management Teams are on order.   South Fork Fire Update: The South Fork Fire is currently […]

The New Mexico Forestry Division would like to update you on wildfires that are requiring the attention of tribal, federal, state, and local resources in New Mexico. The South Fork Fire and the Salt Fire are burning on Mescalero tribal land, near Ruidoso. Both fires are being managed by Mescalero Apache Fire Rescue and Bureau of Indian Affairs. […]

Update: Today, response crews mopped up a whole chain — 66 feet of distance — along the perimeter of the El Macho fire, bringing the incident’s containment to 50%. No visible smokes are showing at this time, but there are still points of heat in the interior. Crews will continue suppression efforts over the coming […]

Edit (3:20 p.m. 6/6/24): The start date of the fire has been updated to reflect the correct date. Update: The El Macho Fire was discovered at 2:06 p.m., Wednesday, June 5, 2024; it is located on private land eight miles north of Pecos, NM. Fuel types in the area include ponderosa pine and no structures are under […]