The FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspect responsible for starting two wildfires in New Mexico that have killed two people and destroyed or damaged hundreds of buildings.
The South Fork and Salt Fires were discovered near Ruidoso, New Mexico, on June 17. The FBI said the fires have caused “significant damage.”
The twin wildfires have forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes. Full-time Ruidoso residents will be allowed to return to the village on Monday morning, but are advised to bring drinking water and at least a week’s worth of food, and to prepare for gas, electricity and water outages.
The FBI said it was seeking the public’s help in determining the cause of the fire, which a notice on Sunday suggested was clearly human-caused. The FBI has offered a $10,000 reward for information “leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for causing the fire near Ruidoso, New Mexico.”
Lincoln County Mayor Randall Camp said Saturday that “we are approaching 1,000 homes lost” in the fire.
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President Joe Biden issued a disaster declaration for parts of southern New Mexico, a move that freed up funds and resources to assist with recovery efforts, including temporary housing, low-interest loans to cover uninsured properties and other emergency work in Lincoln County and on Mescalero Apache tribal lands.
Charred cars and remains of the Swiss Chalet Hotel are seen after being destroyed by the South Fork Fire in the mountain village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, on Saturday, June 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)
More than 1,100 firefighters continued battling the rugged, rocky terrain on Sunday. The South Fork and Salt fires are still burning on either side of Ruidoso, threatening the village with flash flooding.
The National Joint Fire Center said the South Fork Fire, which has grown to 26 square miles, was 31 percent contained by Sunday. The Salt Fire, which has grown to 12 square miles, is now 7 percent contained. It is not expected to be fully contained until July 15.
Smoke rises from the remains of a home destroyed by the South Fork Fire in the mountain village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, Saturday, June 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)
Officials said downed power lines, damaged water, sewer and gas lines, as well as flooding in the burn scar continue to pose danger to firefighters and the public.
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham toured some of the affected areas Saturday with Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator DeAnn Criswell.
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Despite federal and state aid, Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford estimates it will take at least five years for the area to fully recover.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
