UPDATE from the Village of Ruidoso at 9:25 a.m. on Wednesday, April 13, 2022:
Fire activity: On Tuesday, April 12 at shortly after noon the McBride fire broke out in the Village of Ruidoso. The origin of the fire was near Warrior Drive and Hull Road. It has burned 4,132 acres so far and remains 0% contained. A number of structures were lost in the area of McBride, Gavilan Canyon, Fawn Ridge, Homestead Acres, and Lower Eagle Creek. Crews are working on multiple fronts on point protection and to secure structures. Crews in the Moon Mountain area were able to hold the ridge south of Gavilan and north of Paradise Canyon with a dozer line to keep it from progressing into Paradise Canyon and Meander. In the area of Homestead, Gavilan Canyon and Fawn Ridge, crews are working point protection and securing structures and working to connect and construct fire line to control fire progress. In the lower Eagle Creek area, fire impacted multiple structures in the area and crews are working on point protection. Eagle Ridge is the furthest point the fire has reached. The fire continues to spread to the northeast. Air tactical support was not able to fly on Tuesday due to extreme 60+ mph winds. Air tankers are available will be used when and where possible. Fire activity is expected to increase this afternoon as temperatures and winds increase.
Evacuations: Mandatory evacuations are in place for the area around Moon Mountain, McBride/Snowcap/Timberline, Eagle Creek, Homestead Acres, Rancho Ruidoso Valley Estates, Deer Valley, Deer Park, and Alto East of Flute Player. If you live in those areas, please evacuate to the Ruidoso Convention Center. More evacuations are possible.
Safety: Please stay out of the fire area to allow crews to quickly access the fire. Parts of the Village remain without electricity and gas. PNM, Otero Electric and Zia Natural Gas are working to restore power. We don’t have an estimated time for power to be restored. Trees and power lines remain down in much of the Village. Please watch for animals that have been released or escaped. Future evacuations are possible. Please begin preparing yourself and your family with a go-bag. Visit ready.gov for more information on preparing to evacuate.
Weather: Temps today will be around 54 degrees with 6% relative humidity. Winds will continue north/northwest at 20 mph gusting to 30, which will push the fire to the northeast. Lows tonight in the 30 with 16% relative humidity but winds will die off. Up slope winds in the afternoon may increase fire activity.
Values: Multiple residential subdivisions in the wildland urban interface. Powerlines and other infrastructure.
Road and Area Closures: Closures are in place at Gavilan Canyon from Meander to Hull Road, Warrior from Hull to Gavilan and Roads East of Hull from Warrior to Gavilan Canyon like Snowcap, McBride, Timberline etc. Road closures are being adjusted based on fire activity. Visit the McBride Fire update for details.
UPDATE from The Village of Ruidoso at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 13, 2022:
The Village of Ruidoso and Ruidoso Municipal Schools are working in conjunction to allow Ruidoso High School - Official Students access to the parking lot to get their vehicles left from Tuesday's evacuation from the McBride Fire. Interested parties are asked to enter or exit from Hull and Warrior Dr. only. School in Ruidoso is canceled Wednesday.
Officials are preparing for a fire update with twice-daily updates planned for 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Ruidoso Community Center on Sudderth.
Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. - People living, working, and attending school in the Village of Ruidoso and surrounding parts of Lincoln County had to be evacuated Tuesday due to fires in the area.
In Ruidoso, officials said that the McBride Fire began around 1:30 Tuesday afternoon. The cause is under investigation. Fire officials reported that the fire ran from an area north of Ruidoso High School towards the airport and Alto, prompting evacuations north of the high school.
At 2:45 p.m. the McBride fire was reported to be at 1,000 acres with no containment reported. According to a statement from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s office Facebook page Tuesday night at 9 p.m. the McBride Fire has burned over 4,100 acres with no containment.
The statement from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said that fire crews were able to knock back the fire near Ruidoso Middle School. The Sheriff’s office stated that over 1,700 students were evacuated from Ruidoso High School, Ruidoso Middle School and Elementary schools to the Ruidoso Convention Center where they were reported to be reunited with their families. School has been canceled for Wednesday in Ruidoso Municipal Schools.
The Tuesday night statement from the Sheriff’s office said over 150 structures and houses have been lost and power outages continue to be experienced in the area. The Sheriff’s office could not confirm when the power would be restored.
At 9 p.m. Tuesday night, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s office also said that mandatory evacuations are in place for the area around Moon Mountain (McBride, Snowcap, and Timberline), Eagle Creek, Homestead Acres, Rancho Ruidoso Valley Estates, Deer Valley, Deer Park, and Alto East of Flute Player. The Sheriff’s office asked those being evacuated to head to the Ruidoso Convention Center.
Fire officials also said Tuesday that there are immediate evacuations in place for Ruidoso north of Ruidoso High School. This includes Gavilan Canyon Road, Homestead Loop, Eagle Creek, Blue Lake Drive, Mira Monte Rd., East of Fort Stanton Rd.
The Sheriff’s office also reported that these roads remained closed in the Village:
-Gavilan Canyon from Meander to Hull Road
-Warrior from Hull to Gavilan
-Roads east of Hull from Warrior to Gavilan Canyon like Snowcap, McBride, and Timberline
Officials said that there is an evacuation shelter set up at the Carrizozo Schools. Also, Capitan Fairgrounds is accepting livestock.
Lincoln County and Forest Service firefighters are also responding to a fire in Nogal Canyon.
The fire is on both sides of the canyon and was reported to be first detected Tuesday afternoon at 1:25. By late Tuesday night, officials said that the fire was reported to be at 350 acres on private and public lands with no containment. The New Mexico State Forestry Division reported power lines to be the cause of the fire.
Officials said that all of Nogal Canyon is under an immediate evacuation notice for residents of Nogal Canyon up to New Mexico Highway 37. Officials say that multiple structures have been lost including homes and more remain threatened.
Fire officials said that evacuees can go to the Carrizozo Schools or Capitan Fairgrounds.
Officials say that it is preferred that evacuees without livestock go to the Carrizozo Schools at 800 D Ave. in Carrizozo.
According to the statement from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, the east side of the Capitan Fairgrounds and the Capitan high school baseball fields are open for campers and evacuees.
The statement also said the Red Cross is on site to assist those who have been evacuated.
The Sheriff’s office says that the Roswell Animal Shelter, and Otero County Fairgrounds are open for those who need to evacuate with livestock. The State Forestry Division reported that the Lincoln County Fairgrounds are reported to be full and not taking any more animals.
Firefighting crews and resources include those from Lincoln County, the Village of Ruidoso and Forest Service, which includes 2 aircrafts. Officials say additional resources have been ordered.
State officials also reported that a Type 1 Incident Management Team is expected to arrive Wednesday to start formulating a strategy to fight the McBride Fire.
In an update, the New Mexico Forestry Division reported late Tuesday night, that the McBride fire was estimated to be at 4,312 acres and caused by a downed power line.
The Forestry Division reported Tuesday night that the Village of Ruidoso has declared a State of Emergency and that those wishing to make donations or volunteer can call 575-258-6900 or 575-937-7785.