Single Publication

Southwest Area

Incident Management Team

TEAM 5 – David Gesser – INCIDENT COMMANDER

Severe flooding prompts evacuations, Crews to assist in flood mitigation

Daily Update, Monday, July 1, 2024

Mescalero Apache Tribe Emergency Operations Center: 575-464-9214 (8am-6pm)

Village of Ruidoso and Lincoln County Emergency Operations Center: 575-258-6900 (7am-10pm)

Fire Information Phone: 575-323-8378 or 575-323-8258 (8am-8pm)

Media Information Phone: 575-323-8053 (8am-8pm)

Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov

Acres:  South Fork – 17,569; Salt – 7,939

Start Date: June 17, 2024

Location: South Fork – Ruidoso Area, Salt – 7 mile west of Mescalero, NM

Personnel: 690

Containment: South Fork – 84%; Salt – 84%

Fuels: mixed conifer, grass, pine/juniper                                             

Resources: The South Fork and Salt fires are currently staffed with 16 crews, 3 helicopters, 24 engines, 
2 bulldozers, and 7 water tenders.

Highlights: Longer-duration rains fell across the fire area on Sunday with totals ranging from 2-5", causing severe flash flooding. Flooding will continue to pose a threat as afternoon storms pass across the South Fork and Salt fires on Monday.

Fire Activity: The South Fork and Salt fires received significant rain late in the day on Saturday, further suppressing the remaining heat sources. The majority of remaining heat sources on the South Fork Fire are actively charring downed logs, located interior of control lines.

Structure assessments are nearing completion. Additionally, crews on the South Fork and Salt Fires will focus on flood mitigation today. Suppression repair work on constructed containment lines will continue when safe to do so. 

Weather: The South Fork and Salt fires experienced intense scattered thunderstorms on Sunday, resulting in flooding and debris flows. Residents and visitors are advised to stay apprised of changing weather conditions and heed flood watches and warnings. Seeker higher ground during afternoon storms, if possible.

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. 

The Mescalero Apache Tribe issued a Class V/Stage II – Extreme Fire Restriction Notice on June 28, 2024. More information is available at https://mescaleroapachetribe.com. 

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://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html for 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