SAM Magazine—Ruidoso, N.M, June 19, 2024—Approximately 8,000 people have been forced to evacuate in central New Mexico as the South Fork / Salt Fire complex spreads across Lincoln County and the Mescalero Apache Reservation, home to the ski town of Ruidoso. Ski Apache, the local mountain resort, has closed its summer operations until further notice due to the proximity of the blaze.

The complex converging on Ruidoso started June 17 and grew rapidly, reaching 15,000 acres within 24 hours. The Southwest Incident Management Team assumed command of the fires this morning, said David Shell, a public information officer for the team.

The fires are zero percent contained, but 13 hotshot crews supported by heavy equipment are working to build firebreaks on both the South Fork and Salt fires while air resources are dropping water and retardant. The latest incident report puts the South Fork Fire at 16,335 acres and the Salt Fire at 7,071 acres.

Shell said crews are focusing containment efforts on the eastern edge of the South Fork Fire near Ruidoso and the northeastern edge, where the blaze has already swept through the community of Alto, damaging a ski shop and a Swiss chalet among other structures, according to photos and videos shared online. 

An estimated 1,400 structures have been damaged so far. 

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has declared a state of emergency and deployed the National Guard in response to the event.

Ski Apache sits on the western edge of the fire. The wind has been pushing from the southwest to the northeast, moving the flames away from the ski area, said Shell.

A cold front coming in from the northeast is expected to shift the wind direction later today. The change is expected to help containment efforts, said Shell, as is forecasted rain.

Ski Apache is no stranger to the threat of wildfire. The ski area delayed its summer opening in May because of the Blue Fires, and in the summer of 2012, the 44,000-acre Little Bear Fire came perilously close to the ski area.

This previous brush with wildfire may, in fact, prove advantageous this time around. Shell noted that once/if the fire reaches the burn scar near the ski area, the reduced fuels there should slow it down.

The cause of the fires remains under investigation.