Sources:
– https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2022/06/07/new-mexico-wildfire-south-fork-fire-ruidoso-evacuation/
– https://twitter.com/NMFireInfo/status/1534973183786419718
– https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/08/us/new-mexico-south-fork-fire/index.html
Thousands of residents in southern New Mexico were forced to evacuate their homes as the South Fork fire rapidly spread, encircling the village of Ruidoso and scorching over 13,000 acres just one day after the fire first ignited. The fire began on Monday in the Mescalero Apache Reservation, leading tribal officials to declare a state of emergency as it spread through tribal land and U.S. Forest Service lands around Ruidoso, nearly 150 miles southeast of Albuquerque.
By Tuesday night, the fire had burned over 5,000 acres with no containment, fueled by dry conditions and strong wind gusts. By Tuesday morning, the fire had expanded to nearly 14,000 acres, taking over an area roughly the size of Manhattan that has been experiencing extreme drought conditions. Another fire called the Salt Fire, also originating on tribal land, was approaching Ruidoso from the south, creating a dangerous situation for the village surrounded by wildfires.
Approximately 5,000 residents in Ruidoso were ordered to evacuate, and the Mescalero Apache Tribe issued an executive order prohibiting outdoor activities and off-road travel. The National Weather Service issued a fire warning south of Ruidoso and an air quality alert in surrounding counties due to “very unhealthy air quality levels” from wildfire smoke. Sensitive groups were cautioned against outdoor physical activity to avoid health risks.
The South Fork fire comes on the heels of the massive Calf Canyon and Hermit’s Peak Fire, which burned over 341,000 acres in New Mexico over four months in 2022, becoming the state’s largest wildfire on record. This fire, which started as a prescribed burn that spread uncontrollably and merged with another wildfire, destroyed over 900 structures in the state’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains and led to evacuations in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
As the wildfire continues to spread in New Mexico, a heatwave has also gripped the Northeast and parts of the Midwest, affecting nearly 80 million people from Maine to Iowa. Temperatures in the Great Lakes, Northeast, and Ohio River Valley are expected to reach the mid-to-upper 90s, with a heat index exceeding 105 degrees in some areas. Forecasters advise residents to seek air-conditioned spaces and avoid strenuous outdoor activities during peak afternoon hours to prevent heat-related illnesses.
