The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has announced an initial ad buy of $45.7 million for the 2024 election cycle, with significant investments in New Mexico aimed at strengthening and expanding their House majority.
Specifically, the NRCC has allocated $2,043,200 for the Albuquerque media market (DMA) and $688,800 for the El Paso media market, which includes parts of southern New Mexico. This targeted investment underscores the NRCC’s strategic focus on New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District (NM-02), which was identified as a key offensive opportunity back in March.
NRCC Chairman Richard Hudson highlighted the importance of these ads in addressing critical issues facing voters. “The NRCC committed from Day One to not just hold our majority, but go on offense to grow our majority – today we are putting our money where our mouth is,” Hudson stated. “This initial investment gives our candidates firepower to remind voters of the Biden border, crime, and inflation crises wreaking havoc on their daily lives. Extreme Democrats who enabled the chaos and malaise should polish up their resumes – they will be unemployed soon.”
The significant ad buy reflects the NRCC’s strategy to leverage media markets effectively to communicate their message and rally support for Republican candidates in critical districts. The focus on NM-02, in particular, indicates a concerted effort to reclaim and secure seats that are seen as vulnerable or pivotal for maintaining and growing their House majority.
As the 2024 election cycle progresses, these ad reservations mark the beginning of a broader campaign strategy aimed at addressing key voter concerns and drawing contrasts with Democratic incumbents.
For more details on the NRCC’s ad reservations and strategic plans, read the full memo here.
First Judicial District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer is set to issue a written decision by Friday on Alec Baldwin’s final motion to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter charge stemming from the fatal on-set shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on October 21, 2021.
Last Friday, Judge Sommer rejected several motions from Baldwin’s defense team, including requests to exclude state witnesses, to dismiss the case for failing to state a criminal offense, and to grant use immunity for Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed. The hearing resumed on Monday after technical issues delayed witness testimony.
The remaining motion concerns the defense’s claim of evidence destruction, specifically the gun Baldwin used during the incident. Defense attorney John Bash criticized the prosecutors’ actions, calling them “some of the most egregious conduct” he had ever encountered. He argued that the defense was denied the opportunity to examine the gun’s internal components or even review photographs of it.
“The idea of criminal prosecution is in a sense that the cards are stacked against the state, but now they’re stacked against the defense. They got to review the gun, we never will,” Bash stated, emphasizing the gun’s potential exculpatory value, which could support Baldwin’s claim that he did not pull the trigger. Bash contended that the state was aware of this potential value but did not inform the defense about the planned destruction of the evidence.
The defense also accused the prosecution of acting in “bad faith.” Bash revealed that the defense had only recently learned of an exculpatory report from firearms expert Lucien Haag. In his report, Haag mentioned diagonal toolmarks on the sear of the weapon, which might not have resulted from Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) testing. Haag’s testimony, which began on Friday and concluded on Monday, suggested a change in his opinion about the toolmarks after gaining more insight into the FBI’s accidental discharge test.
If the case is not dismissed, Bash requested the court to suppress all evidence related to Baldwin pulling the trigger or, alternatively, to suppress the examination and testing of the gun.
Special Prosecutor Erlinda Johnson countered the defense’s arguments, asserting that they failed to prove the gun’s “perceived exculpatory value” was evident to law enforcement, a necessary condition for dismissal.
“This gun appeared perfectly fine,” Johnson argued. “There seemed to be nothing wrong with it.”
She noted that law enforcement had not received any request from the defense to review the gun. Johnson added that Baldwin’s team still had other avenues to pursue their case, such as questioning the officers who seized the gun, the FBI official who tested it, or Haag. She acknowledged the failure to send Haag’s supplemental report as an “oversight” but denied it was exculpatory.
“In that report, he did not say there were modifications to this gun. He said there were diagonal toolmarks of an unknown origin. He doesn’t say the FBI testing doesn’t create these,” Johnson explained. “That does not equate to bad faith at all whatsoever. That’s a red herring that the defense is bringing before this court.”
Before the court recessed on Friday, Haag testified that after reviewing various reports, footage, and other evidence, the gun seemed to function “as intended and designed by the manufacturer.” FBI forensic examiner Bryce Ziegler also testified, stating that prior to the accidental discharge test using a rawhide mallet, he performed several other functionality tests and found “no apparent damage or modifications that would’ve rendered this firearm unsafe.”
Jury selection for Baldwin’s trial is scheduled to begin on July 9, with the trial itself starting on July 10. If convicted, Baldwin faces up to 18 months in prison.
The southern border crisis has reached a critical point, particularly in areas where New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico converge. Dubbed “America’s border graveyard” by the Daily Mail, this region has seen an alarming number of illegal immigrant deaths, exacerbated by extreme heat and harsh desert conditions.
The El Paso Sector of the US Border Patrol has already recorded 82 deaths this fiscal year, a sharp increase from 50 deaths at the same time last year, with expectations of setting a grim record for fatalities in the region, which encompasses West Texas and southern New Mexico.
As temperatures in the Chihuahua Desert soar into the triple digits, rescuers find migrants in dire conditions, often with bodies too hot to touch without protective gloves. Border Patrol spokesman Claudio Herrera highlighted the escalating danger, stating, “The numbers are increasing, temperatures are rising. We’re seeing triple digits constantly,” underscoring the perilous journey migrants undertake.
The summer heat has just begun, and already, the toll on human life is severe. A humanitarian worker, James Holeman, described the desperate situation: “It’s horrible. It’s really, really bad.” His organization, Battalion Search and Rescue, has been actively locating the remains of illegal immigrants who succumbed to the harsh conditions. In the first ten days of June alone, they found ten bodies. The challenge is further compounded by the fact that over half of the deceased are women, a higher proportion than seen along any other part of the US-Mexico border.
In response to the crisis, first responders have resorted to using ice baths as a last-ditch effort to save illegal immigrants on the brink of death from heat exposure. Captain Abraham Garcia of the Sunland Park Fire Department explained the severity of the situation: “We know that they are at 104, 105. We know that they are cooking internally. The brain starts malfunctioning. They have four or five minutes with brain damage, so we want to cool them as fast as we can.”
Over a 6-hr period, Agents in Santa Teresa , NM responded to 6 migrant heat related injuries. Temperatures in our region are now reaching triple digits. No arriesgue su vida!#HeatAwareness#SafetyAwarenesspic.twitter.com/VZE0yIArQp
— Anthony “Scott” Good (@USBPChiefEPT) June 1, 2024
Illegal immigrants crossing into this part of the US often face brutal conditions even before they reach the border. Smugglers, or “polleros,” frequently abuse, dehydrate, and starve them, forcing them to endure perilous conditions without adequate preparation.
Once in the US, many illegal immigrants are left to navigate treacherous terrain, including the dangerous Mount Cristo Rey, with limited food and water. Their guides abandon The unlucky ones and leave them to face the elements alone.
Yesterday, USBP agents in Santa Teresa, NM rescued an individual in distress. He flagged down agents for help before losing consciousness. Unable to find a pulse, agents performed CPR until the subject regained consciousness and EMS arrived.
The FBI has acknowledged the broader implications of this border crisis, noting an increase in crime throughout New Mexico. Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the FBI’s Albuquerque field office linked the surge in violence, drug trafficking, and overdoses directly to border security challenges. He emphasized the organized nature of illegal crossings, where illegal immigrants are often exploited by criminals who demand payment for passage into the US.
USBP agents in El Paso, TX assigned to the Alien Smuggling Unit, in conjunction with TX DPS Troopers conducted an operation on a stash house resulting in the seizure of $32,786.00 in proceeds from alien smuggling. One Mexican migrant was apprehended and processed under Title 8. pic.twitter.com/fwwMfFwMcm
“If we’re not addressing from where it starts to where it ends and to where it continues to go then we’re missing a big part of it,” said Bujanda. “Part of the problem that we have on the New Mexico side is we have an incomplete border. There is no structure that separates our country from Mexico.”
As illegals continue to face life-threatening conditions, the resources of local emergency services are stretched thin. The Sunland Park Fire Department, with just 24 members, is frequently called to rescue illegal immigrants in distress, diverting resources from serving the local community. Despite these efforts, the true scale of the crisis may be vastly underestimated, with many bodies never recovered from the desert’s unforgiving expanse.
Following the report from the Daily Mail, National Republican Congressional Committee Spokeswoman Delanie Bomar said, “Gabe Vasquez doesn’t take the death and destruction from the border crisis seriously. New Mexicans deserve to be represented by someone who shares their values, and by ignoring the pain at the border, Gabe has shown he is clearly unfit to serve border communities.”
@reproforall, X
The humanitarian and security crisis at the border underscores the urgent need for comprehensive solutions that address both immediate and long-term challenges as the toll on human life and community resources continues to mount. However, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham remains the only border state governor to refuse aid via the National Guard or other means to stem the flow of illegal immigration, fentanyl, and crime associated with the wide-open border.
In a Sunday interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation” with Margaret Brennan, far-left Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham addressed a range of pressing issues in her state, from natural disasters to immigration and reproductive rights. However, her comments on these topics have drawn criticism, particularly regarding her stance on abortion and border security.
The interview began shortly talking about the fires ravaging New Mexico, with the governor mentioning working with the Biden regime, saying, “And I have to say, the Biden administration has really pushed through these emergency declarations quickly so that we can get families back on their feet.” This comment comes despite Biden waiting nearly a week to declare an emergency to unlock federal funds to help. However, a majority of the Face The Nation interview focused on the border and abortion.
Brennan then asked her, “I wonder if all of this excessive heat is affecting the migrants crossing in from Mexico?”
“So we haven’t seen the kind of surges outside of the ports of entry that folks in other states have seen… But right now, we’re focused on the security aspects announced by the Biden administration,” she responded.
Despite being a border state governor, she has refused to put any state resources to help stem the tide of illegal immigration, the only governor to completely shun the border crisis. Even Democrat Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and Katie Hobbs of Arizona have deployed resources to fight illegal immigration and the flow of deadly fentanyl.
Instead, Lujan Grisham dismissed the crisis, trying to say “everywhere else around the country” suffers from this issue, too.
“Make no mistake, New Mexico, just like everywhere else around the country, suffers from the number of drugs, guns, and related nefarious issues that are exacerbated by not having people in the right places at the border,” she said, despite deploying any resources to the border.
Brennan asked further, “It sounds like you could even use more (resources) than that. I know you were here in Washington with the president when he signed that executive order that restricted the ability to claim asylum for those crossing in between ports of entry. You know, some of your fellow Democrats were very critical of that, saying it undermines American values. Why are they wrong?”
“Well, they’re not wrong. I mean, frankly, the President then did a- a balanced approach, when he’s creating protections and work opportunities for undocumented families, part of a legal right, a US citizen is married to someone who’s undocumented, or as other extended family members and DACA recipients and dreamers can now get protections,” she responded, applauding Biden’s efforts to attempt to legalize more criminal aliens who broke the law by entering the country illegally.
Lujan Grisham then tried to take a shot at Trump after Brennan pressed her on why the ACLU is suing Biden for border policies, responding, “We’re making it really clear you can come through a port of entry. I have a president that unlike Congress, including when I was in Congress, it is willing to focus on security, fairness, whether that’s in one or two different decisions, and creating, I hope, a pathway for Congress to stop listening to a candidate (Trump) who continues to try to score political points, instead of solve problems for states like mine, and American families, he’s doing both.”
In 2019, when Lujan Grisham yanked all state resources from helping with the border crisis, she said, “I reject the federal contention that there exists an overwhelming national security crisis at the Southern border,” adding that the deadly area has “some of the safest communities in the country.” She also labeled the focus on solving the crisis as a “charade of border fear-mongering.”
When discussing abortion rates in New Mexico, where 21,000 babies were killed last year, 14,000 of them being from Texas, Lujan Grisham doubled down on abortion up-to-birth policies enacted by her administration and the Democrat-ruled Legislature. Lujan Grisham defended the state’s abortion up-to-birth policies, attributing rising abortion rates to barriers faced by women.
“I think there are more abortions happening because more women are at risk, which means they can’t get into a provider, they can’t get prenatal care,” she complained, despite her administration helping purge access to doctors in New Mexico by raising medical malpractice rates, which resulted in providers fleeing New Mexico to states like Texas, where they are not hostile to doctors, while also supporting the right to life with life-affirming policies.
“You create a draconian situation; you’re going to increase risk at every single place,” Lujan Grisham claimed. In New Mexico, the “draconian” abortion up-to-birth policies have left women maimed and even killed, while babies have been killed even after birth. Infanticide has happened inside and outside of abortion facilities, including children being born and left to die on delivery room tables (at UNM Hospital) or children being born and killed by their mothers, such as what happened at Artesia Hospital in 2023.
As Gov. Lujan Grisham navigates ongoing emergencies in New Mexico, her mishandling has been criticized by all sides, including Democrats, as she continues to finish her final term as governor.
The two wildfires near Ruidoso, New Mexico, continue to wreak havoc, burning thousands of acres and displacing thousands of residents. The fires, which ignited on June 17, have forced about 8,000 people to evacuate and have led to road closures in the Village of Ruidoso and Ruidoso Downs. According to the Village of Ruidoso, approximately 1,400 structures have been lost to the flames.
The South Fork Fire is currently burning on Mescalero Tribal land, U.S. Forest Service land, and areas surrounding Ruidoso, while the Salt Fire is active on the Mescalero Reservation. The fires have caused significant damage, prompting the FBI to offer a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for starting the fires.
“The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for starting the fires,” officials from the FBI Albuquerque Division stated in a news release on June 22. This marks the first time law enforcement has suggested that arson could be the cause of the devastating fires.
Residents of Ruidoso are set to return to their homes on Monday, June 24, as containment numbers for both fires increase. However, only local, full-time residents will be permitted to return at this time, and they are advised to bring at least a week’s worth of food and drinking water since grocery stores are not fully operational. Many returning residents will find their homes without electricity, gas, or water.
The containment efforts show varying degrees of success. The South Fork Fire has burned 16,614 acres with 26% containment, while the Salt Fire has scorched 7,652 acres and is only 7% contained. These numbers, provided by the Village of Ruidoso, indicate ongoing challenges for firefighting crews. Over 1,000 personnel are engaged in combating the fires, using hand tools, hoses, and machinery to build firelines and prevent further spread.
Utility outages persist in the affected areas, impacting communication and complicating efforts to reach residents and visitors. Despite rumors, an official update confirmed that the Albertsons Market in Ruidoso has not burned down but remains closed due to evacuation guidelines.
The fires have claimed at least two lives. Authorities found the skeletal remains of one individual in the driver’s seat of a burned vehicle, and another victim was found near the Swiss Chalet Inn, which was destroyed by the fire.
The FBI’s involvement underscores the severity and suspected criminal nature of the situation. “The FBI is assisting our local, state, federal, and tribal partners in the ongoing investigation of the fires near Ruidoso, NM,” officials said. “We are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the cause of these fires.”
Anyone with information about the fires is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-225-5324 or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov. Additionally, people can text “BIAMMU” to 847411, followed by “MESCALERO FIRE + the tip,” or simply text “BIAMMU” with the tip information.
While natural causes like lightning and downed power lines are common sources of wildfires, human activities such as unattended campfires can also spark fires. The FBI’s reward aims to uncover whether human negligence or intentional actions are behind the Ruidoso fires, bringing justice and preventing future tragedies.
The fight against these wildfires continues as firefighters work tirelessly to protect homes, lives, and the environment from further destruction.
A verdict has been reached in the trial of the first parent charged under New Mexico’s so-called “Bennie’s Law.” The “Bennie Hargrove Gun Safety Act,” commonly known as Bennie’s Law, is a 2023 anti-gun law that aims to hold gun owners accountable if a child gains access to their firearm and uses it to commit a crime. Prosecutors alleged this scenario occurred in the case of William Brown.
William Brown is the father of Porfirio Brown, who is accused of using his father’s gun to shoot and kill a 13-year-old girl.
During the trial, officers testified that they observed several firearms lying openly around William’s home while executing a search warrant. However, the revolver used in the shooting was not recovered.
The prosecution highlighted that revolver ammunition found in William’s home did not correspond to any of the firearms located there. In his defense, William testified that the revolver in question was in Carlsbad at the time of the shooting.
On Friday, a jury found William not guilty of negligently making a firearm accessible to a minor.
Earlier this year, Porfirio was tried for second-degree murder, but the trial ended in a hung jury. He is scheduled for a retrial in August.
Over 1,000 firefighters in New Mexico seized a weather break on Thursday to gain control over two wildfires that have claimed two lives, destroyed hundreds of homes, and forced thousands to evacuate.
Joe Biden finally issued a disaster declaration for southern New Mexico, providing additional funding and resources to help contain the fires almost a week since the South Fork Fire was discovered. Crews benefited from a storm system that brought rain, hail, and cooler temperatures to Ruidoso and surrounding areas.
“The fire has lost momentum,” said Arthur Gonzales, the fire behavior analyst for the federal attack team, during a community meeting in Alamogordo on Thursday night. “We still have a lot of work to do, but it’s really changed that fire behavior,” he added, noting that minimal growth is expected in the coming days.
Despite this temporary reprieve, firefighters remain cautious due to the dry, tinderbox conditions that initially fueled the fires. In a few days, the fires have scorched an area half the size of Washington, D.C.
Evacuation orders are likely to remain in place for several days as crews work to extinguish hot spots around Ruidoso, and law enforcement continues to patrol to prevent looting. While some reports suggested the fires were human-caused, federal incident commander Dave Gessar stated that the causes remain “undetermined” and are under investigation.
The disaster declaration will support recovery efforts, including temporary housing, low-cost loans for uninsured property, and other emergency work in Lincoln County and on Mescalero Apache Tribe lands.
Residents fled the larger of the two fires with little notice as it swept through neighborhoods on Monday. More evacuations occurred on Tuesday as the fire expanded, engulfing homes among the ponderosa pines.
An estimated 1,400 structures have been destroyed or damaged, with Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford estimating that about half were homes. “These are things that are burnt to the foundations and all the trees around it,” he said. “It’s devastating.”
Authorities reported that a 60-year-old man who died was found near the Swiss Chalet Inn in Ruidoso. His family had arranged for a ride, but friends could not reach him due to blocked roads. He appeared to have been overcome by the fire while trying to escape on foot. On Wednesday, officers found the skeletal remains of another person in the driver’s seat of a burned vehicle.
Some residents have been documenting the damage via social media. In Ruidoso and neighboring Alto, entire neighborhoods have been reduced to ash, with only fireplaces remaining from homes.
“I am speechless. I’m so sorry everyone,” said Logan Fle as he drove through the affected areas.
The Southwest has experienced exceptionally dry and hot conditions in recent months, which, combined with strong winds, rapidly spread the South Fork Fire into Ruidoso. Evacuations included hundreds of homes, businesses, a regional medical center, and the Ruidoso Downs horse track.
Nationwide, wildfires have burned over 3,344 square miles (8,660 square kilometers) this year, surpassing the 10-year average, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Nearly 20 large, uncontained wildfires are burning across California, Arizona, Colorado, Washington state, and other areas.
Authorities have recovered the remains of two individuals who lost their lives amid the advancing South Fork wildfire near Ruidoso, as confirmed by a spokesperson from the New Mexico State Police on Wednesday.
One of the victims was identified as Patrick Pearson, 60, a musician from Ruidoso. According to his daughter, Hilary Mallak, Pearson tragically died on Monday while attempting to evacuate from the Swiss Chalet Inn, where he had been residing since 2021. The Inn was completely destroyed.
This is what’s left of the Swiss Chalet Inn in Ruidoso.
The building was destroyed by the South Fork Fire sometime between Monday night and Tuesday. Several cars were left in the parking lot – signaling evacuees only had moments to flee. #southforkfire#ruidosopic.twitter.com/2pBneFtS5J
#Update The family of Patrick Pearson confirms he died in the #SouthFork fire. He was staying at the Swiss Chalet Inn in #Ruidoso and tried to evacuate. They call him a great musician, who only wanted to make people happy.
In another incident, State Police officers responded to a burned vehicle on Tuesday morning on Ranier Road south of Alto. The occupant, found in the driver’s seat, remains unidentified due to the skeletal condition of the remains, with no identifiable documents recovered from the vehicle.
Residents of Ruidoso, a community of approximately 8,000 people, were ordered to evacuate on Monday due to the dangerous spread of the South Fork Fire and another nearby blaze known as the Salt Fire.
Pearson, who was awaiting transportation from the inn, found himself stranded as the fire encroached. Mallak expressed the heartbreaking realization that her father, who had recently suffered a leg injury and relied on a walker, likely succumbed to smoke or heat shortly after leaving the hotel.
“He must have realized that no help was coming in time,” Mallak said, recounting the difficult circumstances leading to her father’s tragic end. Pearson’s death was officially communicated to the family by State Police late Tuesday night.
A well-regarded musician, Pearson had a deep connection to Ruidoso, where he regularly performed at venues like Quarters Nightclub and Grill. His sudden passing has left the community mourning, with plans underway by the Office of the Medical Investigator to transport his remains to Albuquerque for further proceedings.
“He did a gig there a few years ago and just loved it,” Mallak recalled fondly, emphasizing Pearson’s passion for his music and the local community.
On Wednesday evening, rain fell in the Ruidoso area, causing flood conditions. 200-300 additional firefighters have been deployed to fight the blazes. That brings the total number of personnel fighting both fires in the area to 824.
“On Wednesday, the South Fork and Salt fires received varying amounts of rain. The highest rainfall recorded was 1.62” along Skyline Ridge near the Monjeau Fire Lookout on the northern side of the South Fork Fire, while rainfall on the Salt Fire measured .05”. Thursday’s incoming weather will produce clouds, cooler temperatures (68-75 degrees) and higher day/night relative humidity. Storms will likely develop over the lower east slopes of the Sacramento Mountains in the afternoon and into the early evening, producing 20-30mph gusts. Heavy rain, flash floods and debris flows are a potential risk from these storms through the week,” writes NMFireInfo.com.
“Crews will continue constructing firelines to prevent further fire growth, while continuing to protect homes, properties, and critical infrastructure. Ground and aerial ignitions may be used where needed to strengthen protection of values at risk and burn out fuels between constructed firelines and the main fire,” it added.
The current containment of the 16,335-acre South Fork Fire and the 7,071-acre Salt Fire remains at zero percent.
On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich’s attempt to ban so-called “bump stocks,” claiming the accessory turns rifles into “automatic weapons.”
He said, “I know there are those who say, ‘Guns don’t kill people; people kill people,’” adding, “But the reality is this: Bump stocks kill and injure hundreds.”
Heinrich, who claims to have used guns for hunting, sport, and self-defense (despite not knowing the difference between an elk and a bighorn sheep), stated, “Bump stocks serve no legitimate purpose.”
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that bump stocks should not be banned, per a previous federal decision.
Heinrich urged his colleagues to pass the Banning Unlawful Machinegun Parts (BUMP) Act through unanimous consent, a method that allows a measure to pass as long as no senator objects.
However, Sen. Pete Ricketts from Nebraska objected on behalf of Republicans, labeling it a “show vote,” which it was.
Ricketts argued, “The majority leader knows this bill will not pass. It won’t pass because enough people in this building still believe in the Constitution, and the Constitution affords Americans the right to own a firearm. This vague, overreaching bill directly infringes upon that right.”
Heinrich stressed the supposed urgency of congressional action, declaring, “We need to pass this ban on bump stocks right away.”
Despite the measure failing miserably, Heinrich vowed that this issue would not disappear from the Senate’s agenda, asserting that the BUMP Act is a measure of “commonsense gun safety legislation,” which by definition goes against the U.S. Constitution, which Heinrich swore to uphold.
According to officials from the New Mexico Forestry Division, the South Fork Fire in New Mexico has destroyed approximately 1,400 buildings and has expanded to cover 16,335 as of Wednesday morning.
Footage of the remnants caused by the fire can be seen below:
UPDATE: State Forestry confirms 1,400 structures have been destroyed by the #Southforkfire and #saltfire.
Tragically, the New Mexico Governor’s Office confirmed one fatality resulting from the fire.
The New Mexico Forestry Division reported that the fire’s growth on Tuesday was due to “long-range spotting,” a phenomenon where burning debris is carried by winds beyond the current fire perimeter, igniting new areas.
Weather forecasts for Wednesday predict scattered showers and thunderstorms in the affected area during the afternoon, which hopefully will aid in containing the blazes.
In response to the escalating situation, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a State of Emergency for the South Fork and Salt Fires. This executive order was enacted on Tuesday morning, June 18.
Additionally, the state Environment Department’s drinking water bureau issued a precautionary drinking water advisory on Tuesday afternoon for public water systems in Lincoln County. The advisory was prompted by potential contamination from the wildfire’s effects and urged residents to seek alternative water sources for safety.
According to last night’s fire update from the Village of Ruidoso, “Fire activity included crowning and long-range spotting, which increased the fire’s footprint from this morning’s acreage total. Today, response crews were able to directly engage areas of the fire’s footprint when conditions allowed.”
Multiple reports suspect arson as the cause of the fires. However, the official cause of the fire is “under investigation,” pending official confirmation of its source.
Keep up-to-date on the latest updates on the fire at the Village of Ruidoso’s website here.
Ways to donate money and items to the relief efforts can be found in the below X post:
As well as donating water, supplies, and other items to help victims of the South Fork Fire, please join me in donating to one of the below causes to help victims of the fire and the effort to protect property and lives:
