The Village of Ruidoso, NM, has implemented Level II fire restrictions effective immediately on Friday, April 19, 2024, at Noon. These additional fire protections will remain in effect until officials determine that conditions have changed sufficiently to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfire.

The Village of Ruidoso returns to Level 1 fire restrictions effective immediately on Friday, July 14, 2023, at 8:00 a.m. Fire danger ratings and regulations are subject to weather and climate conditions. The Village of Ruidoso will notify the public immediately of any changes. Learn more about the current protections in place.

New Mexicans impacted by the wildfires and subsequent flooding from burn scars have only five days left to apply for assistance from FEMA. The final deadline to apply is Monday, Nov. 7, 2022. FEMA assistance can help residents find temporary housing, rebuild their homes, replace destroyed property, and more. Don’t delay. Apply today!

FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRCs) will be stationed in various locations through early October to help eligible New Mexico residents apply for disaster assistance whose homes or personal property were damaged by wildfires and/or subsequent flooding directly related to the burn scars. No appointments are necessary to visit a DRC. However, the fastest and easiest way to apply for federal disaster assistance is online at: disasterassistance.gov/.

The Village of Ruidoso has been working with regional and state partners to help recovery efforts in Gavilan Canyon after the McBride Fire. The fire burned through Gavilan Canyon into the Eagle Creek drainage in early April 2022.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has granted New Mexico’s request for Direct Temporary Housing Assistance, initiating a process that will make housing assistance available to eligible New Mexicans who have been affected by wildfire in Lincoln, Mora, and San Miguel counties. Learn more >>

The Village of Ruidoso will implement an escalation to Level 3 fire restrictions at 8 a.m. Thursday, May 19, 2022, which bans sources of fire outside on any public or private property as follows due to extreme fire danger. The order will remain in effect until further notice. Citations will be issued. No exceptions. No warnings.

On May 3, 2022, the Village of Ruidoso issued emergency executive order 2022-01 to waive permit fees for the rebuilding of more than 200 structures that have been destroyed or damaged in the McBride Fire and wind event of April 12, 2022.

The Lincoln National Forest joins other forest and parks in New Mexico who are implementing strict fire restrictions among a flurry of wildfires across the state. The Lincoln National Forest is entering Stage 2 fire restrictions just a week after going into Stage 1 restrictions.

The Village is working to make sure every home impacted by the McBride fire and related wind event can recover quickly and completely. As recovery efforts are underway, we will continue to provide resources for rebuilding, including the latest information for permits and property tax assessments to help you recover and rebuild as quickly as possible.

A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team has been established by the Lincoln NF to begin a burned area assessment of the Nogal Canyon and McBride Fires that recently burned on private, state, and federal lands in and near Ruidoso, NM.

After a wildfire, private wells can be contaminated and unsafe to use for drinking water and other purposes. If you are a private well owner, the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) will provide FREE private well water quality testing on Saturday, May 7, 2022, from 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM at the Ruidoso Swimming Pool, 515 Sudderth Drive, Ruidoso, NM 88345. Those affected by the fire will have the opportunity to get their water tested for bacteria as follows…

Highlights: Both the Nogal Canyon and McBride Fires were transferred to a Type 4 Command structure on April 21st at 7:00 am. Safety: Today is an Extremely Critical Fire Weather Day. There are red flag warnings in effect. Lincoln County, the Village of Ruidoso, Otero County, and the Lincoln National Forest are ALL under fire restrictions or burn bans. Please do not burn debris, weld, or have campfires on red flag warning days.

In accordance with Lincoln County Ordinance 2017-03, the Board of County Commissioners of Lincoln County has enacted Resolution 2021-58 banning all burning of open flames, fires, campfires, trash, rubbish, shrubbery, or other material of any kind except by permit. This Resolution is to remain in effect for thirty (30) days or until rescinded by the Board of Commissioners.

Due to increasing fire danger, the Village of Ruidoso, NM, has implemented Stage II fire restrictions effective immediately on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. These additional fire protections will remain in effect until officials determine that conditions have changed sufficiently to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfire.

The Lincoln National Forest implemented Stage 1 Fire Restrictions effective April 19, 2022, due to increasing fire activity and dry conditions. The increased fire danger is due to insufficient moisture and dry fuel conditions across the forest. The following are prohibited under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions […]

This will be the FINAL written update for the McBride Fire. The Southwest Area Incident Management Team 2 (SWAIMT2) will transition the fire to a Type 4 Command structure tomorrow, April 21st at 7:00 am. Once the fire transitions, updates will be made to the Facebook page and InciWeb as notable events occur. The current phone numbers and email addresses will no longer be monitored. As of Thursday morning, members of the public should call 575-258-6900, and media outlets to call 505-445-8278.

Hazardous debris after a wildfire can be toxic, and improper transport and disposal of fire debris can create dangerous impacts throughout the community. For proper disposal of fire debris, please place it on the curb in front of your house, and the VOR grapple truck will come to remove it for you. Residents are asked to abide by the following when cleaning their property.

On the evening of April 18, 2022, four UTVs owned by a US Forest Service Interagency Hotshot Crew assigned to the McBride Fire 2022 were vandalized. The vandalism occurred at the end of Eagle Creek Road where the pavement ends and it turns to dirt. Hotshots and other firefighting personnel use UTVs to access parts of the fire where regular vehicles cannot go. Thankfully, this unfortunate incident has not hampered fire suppression efforts. No arrests have been made at this time. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Lincoln County Sherriff’s Office at 575-648-2341.

Multiple pieces of firefighter equipment located in and around the fire area has been vandalized. Law enforcement is involved and an investigation is underway. With objectives continuing to be met, the Southwest Area Incident Management Team 2 (SWAIMT2) will begin to transition the fire to a Type 4 Command structure on Thursday morning at 7:00 am.

The majority of work left to be completed is along the eastern fire’s edge. However, firefighters will have a presence in the communities to the west to address hotspots and mitigate hazard trees. Yesterday, crews were able to complete a full assessment with hotshot crews walking the entire perimeter. A reconnaissance flight was conducted to check the fire’s edge for hotspots.

The Type 1 Incident Team, together with the New Mexico State Police, the Village of Ruidoso, and Lincoln County officials are lifting all evacuation orders in the McBride Fire area.

Operations: In the Eagle Creek and Gavilan closure areas, fire crews are mopping up and identifying, and removing hazard trees. They are working to cool burning stump holes and other heat sources in a concentrated effort to prepare for lifting the remaining evacuations. Currently, both the gas and power companies are working in the Gavilan area to ensure utilities are working before homeowners can safely return. Firefighters will work all along the fire perimeter to secure the rugged, western edge of the fire. They are locating heat sources and scouting to tie in pieces of fire line. Due to diminishing winds, low fire activity is expected today.

Evacuation orders are being lifted in the following neighborhoods of the McBride Fire 2022.

Watch today's LIVE operational broadcast from the McBride and Nogal Fires by Field Operations Chief Rocky Gilbert.

For those looking to help people affected by the McBride and Nogal Canyon wildfires, the Community Foundation of Lincoln County Shelter Fund supports victims and is accepting donations.

A Virtual Public Meeting will be held tonight at 6 pm on Facebook. Questions can be submitted in advance by email or through Facebook messaging. Last night, evacuations were lifted for the Moon Mountain Area. Expect increased traffic as residents return to their homes. We will no longer provide an evening update in this format starting today. Any notable activity will be posted on Facebook and InciWeb.

We are expecting gusty winds this afternoon please be aware of trees that might have been damaged in the initial wind event on Tuesday. These trees might come down and cause additional damage as winds pick up. If you suspect a hazardous condition, immediately contact your utility company and village authorities who have the equipment and training to safely conduct an inspection.

PNM Outage Update At the start of this incident on Tuesday, there were 18,000 customers without power. As of this morning, crews have restored all but 60 customers which are mostly in the burn area. Today crews continue reconstructing damaged equipment underground and overhead.

McBride Fire - April 15, 2022 Evening Update Acres: Today, the fire was active within the fire’s perimeter near Ruidoso Middle School. Unburned pockets of ponderosa pine were ignited, putting up lots of black smoke. Crews and helicopters worked together to keep the fire within control lines. A Virtual Public Meeting will be held Saturday at 6pm on Facebook. […]