ROSWELL, N.M. (KRQE) – Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham held a news conference Wednesday night outlining the current conditions facing fire crews battling fires near Ruidoso. The South Fork Fire has burned 16,335 acres and destroyed more than 1,400 structures making it one of the most devastating fires in New Mexico history. There have also been two deaths in the wake of the fire.
Wildfire Resources
In a news conference from Roswell, Governor Lujan Grisham and Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury, who represents the Ruidoso area, painted a picture of how bad the fire is. Because of the high-density living area of the fire, the governor said 200-300 more firefighters will be deployed to help fight the flames. Wednesday afternoon, state leaders also asked President Joe Biden to declare a national emergency which could be signed in as soon as 12 hours unlocking more federal resources to manage the crisis.
While moisture in the coming days will bring some relief, the area is not out of the woods yet. “While this weather is helpful to the fire, not helpful to the floods. We did three emergency rescues that we’re aware of….expect more,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham.
Additionally, it is not known how many people may have stayed behind in Ruidoso and officials are urging residents not to return until its safe. State and local leaders also noted just how long the recovery from the fire will be. Representative Stansbury said she’s already alerted members of Congress to prioritize recovery funding.
Governor Lujan Grisham reiterated Wednesday night that there is no known cause. A team of six investigators is working on that.
The Mayor of Roswell also spoke thanking his town and neighboring communities for their swift action to help out.
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