6-28-2024 12:38pm

Riudoso Fire Suppression and Investigations Continue with Dog Named Wheezy

Chris Edwards Editor

The Village of Ruidoso reports that surrounding areas continue to face challenges in managing the South Fork and Salt fires due to severe weather conditions per a recent statement. However even with weather struggles the South Fork Fire and the Salt Fire are well over South Fork; 73% and Salt; 71% contained. Now the attention is turning toward investigating the cause of each.

Albuquerque Fire Rescue’s Investigations Division is assisting with that investigation. That includes AFR’s accelerant detection dog Wheezy and her handler, Lt. Gunderson. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms trained Wheezy to detect six different types of accelerants. Those are liquids that could be used to start a fire.

The FBI is asking the public for information on who could’ve started these fires and their involvement is ongoing.

The reentry map had been expanded and updated https://ruidoso.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/lookup/index.html?appid=b6…¢er=-105.6914;33.4024&level=12

Resources: The South Fork and Salt fires are currently staffed with 21 crews, 4 helicopters, 42 engines, 9 bulldozers, and 12 water tenders.

Highlights:

Interactive property map updates available for Village of Ruidoso. Property access status updates are available, including properties available for re-entry and those in the No Entry/Exclusion Zones. Use www.ruidoso-nm.gov/south-fork-fire for more information.

Reminder: Celebrate July 4th without fireworks.Fireworks can cause new starts in the area. Please celebrate the holiday without fireworks this year, so firefighters and cooperators can complete their efforts across the South Fork and Salt Fires.

Fire Activity: The South Fork and Salt fires are experiencing limited fire activity, thanks in part to daily scattered storms, and the hard work firefighters are putting in to find and extinguish hot spots. Occasional smoke will be visible as pockets of unburned fuels and could ignite, even as monsoonal weather patterns move into the area.

Crews continue to mop up and begin to repair actions taken by firefighters to prevent the South Fork and Salt fires from growing. Cooperators, and utility providers are working to address service needs for communities. As a reminder, conditions are dynamic and will remain that way through the duration of the incident. Maintain awareness and reduce your speed while traveling through the area.

Weather: Temperatures will remain in the mid-high 80s. Scattered showers and thunderstorms return, bringing along the risk of flash floods and debris flows.

Smoke: Smoke production will remain light to moderate with the highest impacts during the early morning and late evening hours. Additional details are available at https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/430b2c05.

Reentry: No evacuations are in place. However, designated “NO ENTRY/EXCLUSION ZONES” remain in place in some areas of the village. Visit https://www.ruidoso-nm.gov/south-fork-fire or contact the Village of Ruidoso and Lincoln County Emergency Operations Centers for more information.

Tribal members who have been displaced outside of the Mescalero Apache Reservation due to the fires are strongly encouraged to contact the Tribe’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to help you and your families get back to the reservation. If you’re stranded out of town at other evacuation sites, please call the EOC at 575-464-9214 for more details.

Closures: A South Fork Fire Emergency Closure Order was issued on June 20, 2024, for national forest lands within the Smokey Bear Ranger District. The identified areas, and roads and trails therein, are closed to public access to allow firefighting personnel to work and through the fire area safely. More information is available at www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/lincoln/alerts-notices/?aid=88199.

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire area. Public/commercial drone flights are also prohibited within this area. If you fly, we may have to ground our air resources. Visit https://www.tfr.faa.govfor more information.

More information:

Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmmea-south-fork-and-salt

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SWIMT5

Smoke Outlook: https://outlooks.wildlandfiresmoke.net/outlook/430b2c05

Lincoln County Government: www.lincolncountynm.gov

Mescalero Apache Tribe: https://mescaleroapachetribe.com

Village of Ruidoso: www.ruidoso-nm.gov/south-fork-fire