THURSDAY UPDATE! PRAY ON TEAM JESUS! NM Wildfires: 2 Die, 23,000 Acres Burned, NM Forestry Report, NM Baptist Disaster Relief, Fundraising Efforts

Public Information Line: 575-323-8258

Media Information Line: 575-323-8053

Phone Line Hours: 8 am – 8 pm

Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov

Acres: South Fork – 16,335; Salt – 7,071           Start Date: June 17, 2024

Location: Ruidoso, NM Personnel: 254

Containment: 0%       Fuels: mixed conifer, grass, pine/juniper

Resources:  Crews, heavy equipment, engines, helicopters and air tankers.

Highlights: Southwest Area Team 5, led by Incident Commander Dave Gesser, assumed command of the South Fork and Salt fires at 6:00AM, Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

Fire Activity: Extreme fire behavior occurred across the South Fork and Salt fires on Tuesday, with crowning and long-range spotting observed. Aviation resources, including fixed wing air tankers and helicopters, conducted water and retardant drops throughout the day. Air resources worked in conjunction with ground resources, firefighters and heavy equipment, to continue constructing fireline including around structures. Firefighters quickly secured a spot fire on the South Fork Fire Tuesday.

Fire crews, heavy equipment and additional resources will continue building fireline on both the South Fork and Salt fires while air resources will assist from the sky with ongoing water and retardant drops. Firefighters will be alert for spot fires and respond quickly to all fire threats. Changing wind direction and potential for afternoon thunderstorms could create challenging conditions for firefighter in the air and on the ground. Firefighting resources continue to arrive and will be briefed on current fire conditions before going to the fireline.

Weather: The fire area experienced strong southwest flow yesterday. Tuesday night, winds shifted out of the east/southeast to begin bringing gulf moisture into the Sacramento Mountains Wednesday. Afternoon showers and thunderstorms to the east of the fire area are expected with temperatures in the mid to high 80s and 10-20mph winds.

Smoke: Smoke will continue to be observed across both the South Fork and Salt fires today. Individuals sensitive to smoke should take precautions and use the New Mexico Department of Health 5-3-1 Visibility Method to determine if it’s safe to be outside. For more information visit Air Quality: https://nmtracking.doh.nm.gov/environment/air/FireAndSmoke.html

Evacuations: A State of Emergency for the Mescalero Apache Reservation has been implemented by the Tribal Council. Evacuations remain in-place. Village of Ruidoso and City of Ruidoso Downs are in “GO” evacuation status. Road closures are also in effect. Numerous additional evacuation orders have been issued including Fantasy Lane, Summit area, Botella Road, Snow Springs, Fence Canyon, Whitetail, and Chihuahua Well. Please stay out of the fire area to allow firefighters safe access into the area and allow them to work safely.  There are hazards in the area including fire weakened trees, downed power lines, and potential for exposed gas lines.

New Mexico musician and influencer Johnny James has launched a verified GoFundMe to help those affected by the wildfires.

Donations to the GoFundMe are tax-deductible through GoFundMe.org, and will support community relief efforts and enable grants to individuals impacted to help them purchase immediate relief needs including hotel rooms, food and water, and transportation.

“I’ve lived in New Mexico my whole life, along with my entire family,” James said on GoFundMe. “I’m a musician, entertainer, and creator. We don’t often have a lot of people speaking up for New Mexico, and I want to use my platform to reach as many people as possible so we can help families and communities affected by the fires.”

The fundraiser can be found on GoFundMe’s New Mexico Wildfire Relief hub, which houses all verified fundraisers related to the wildfires.

“We are working closely with local authorities to ensure transparency and accountability,” James said. “Your contribution will be utilized quickly and effectively to provide relief directly to those suffering from this disaster and to verified non-profit organizations providing relief. We are committed to transparency and will provide updates on the allocation of funds and the impact of your generosity.”

To make it easier for people who want to help those affected, GoFundMe has launched a centralized hub housing all verified fundraisers related to the New Mexico wildfires. Our Trust & Safety team will continue to update the hub with more fundraisers as they are verified.

You can learn more about our Trust & Safety practices on our safety hub, as well as find tips that can be shared with your audiences.

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