Residents of a New Mexico town were told to evacuate Monday evening after a wildfire exploded and spread, affecting hundreds of buildings and triggering a state of emergency.
The blaze, dubbed the South Fork Fire, was discovered around 9 a.m. Monday on tribal and government land around the village of Ruidoso in south-central New Mexico.
Afternoon wind gusts reaching 20 to 30 mph and low humidity fueled the fire, which quickly grew to thousands of acres.
“The fire is experiencing rapid growth and severe fire behavior,” New Mexico Forestry Department officials said. “An estimated 500 structures have been affected by this fire.”
Authorities ordered about 7,000 residents to evacuate.
The fire began spreading through Ruidoso late Monday night, leading officials to call for the immediate evacuation of the entire village and surrounding areas.
“Please do not pack your belongings or attempt to defend your homes,” village officials urged on social media. “Please do so now.”
There have been no reports of injuries so far.
Emergency officials set up evacuation centers near Roswell and offered space at the state fairgrounds to house displaced livestock.
As of Tuesday evening, the fire had burned 15,261 acres so far and was 0% contained, according to city officials.
“Firefighters worked together overnight (Monday) to contain the spread of the fire and protect the structure as best they could,” fire officials said Tuesday morning. “The fire is currently spreading slowly, but the concern (Tuesday) is that winds will increase in intensity, which could cause the fire to move further east and northeast.”
New Mexico Governor Michelle Luann Grisham declared a state of emergency, freeing up additional state resources to help those battling the fires and those affected by them.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
A second wildfire near the Mescalero Reservation, dubbed the Salt Fire, grew to 5,500 acres by Tuesday evening and forced the evacuation of area residents.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center said most of central New Mexico is expecting southwest winds throughout the day Tuesday with humidities in the teens.
