New Mexico village evacuates as wildfires rage in southern part of state

As of Tuesday morning, about 13,921 acres have been burned from the wildfire and so far it as not been contained.

Published: June 18, 2024 11:38am

Officials in the New Mexico village of Ruidoso have ordered its evacuation due to a fast-moving wildfire.

"GO NOW: Do not attempt to gather belongings or protect your home. Evacuate immediately," local officials wrote on the village website on Monday.

New Mexico's Public Service Company has shut off electricity to part of the village as a result of the fire, according to CBS News. This impacted roughly 2,000 homes and businesses.

Ruidoso is home to roughly 7,000 people. As of Tuesday morning, about 13,921 acres have been burned from the wildfire and so far it has not been contained.

An air quality alert has also been issued due to the amount of smoke.

"My administration is in close contact with state, tribal and federal officials about the status of these fast-moving fires near Ruidoso, and we are quickly deploying as many resources as possible to protect people and property," Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham wrote on the social media platform, X.

A separate wildfire impacting the Mescalero reservation also remains uncontained.