New Mexico
Cooler temps and rain could help corral blazes that forced thousands to flee New Mexico village
ROSWELL, N.M. (AP) — Cooler weather — and the chance of rain — could bring some relief this week to firefighters battling blazes in southern New Mexico that killed one person, damaged hundreds of structures and forced thousands to evacuate.
Strong wind pushed the larger of two wildfires into the mountain village of Ruidoso, forcing residents to flee immediately with little notice. Weather patterns are expected to shift by Wednesday morning with moisture from a tropical wave in the Gulf of Mexico, said Joshua Schroeder of the National Weather Service in Albuquerque.
“Today was really our last dry day,” he said late Tuesday. “Rains will then peak into Thursday and diminish by the weekend.”
On the downside, he said, some shifts in wind were possible later Wednesday, and rain could lead to flash flooding in newly burned areas.
Ruidoso and much of the Southwest has been exceedingly dry and hot this spring. Those conditions, along with strong wind, whipped flames out of control Monday and Tuesday, rapidly advancing the South Fork Fire into the village. Along with homes and businesses, a regional medical center and the Ruidoso Downs horse track were evacuated.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office confirmed one fatality as a result of the fire but said it had no further details.
More than 500 structures have been destroyed or damaged, but it’s unclear how many were homes. A flyover to provide more accurate mapping and a better assessment of damage was planned overnight Tuesday, Lujan Grisham said.
Ardis Holder left Ruidoso with her two young daughters, her gas tank nearly on empty and praying that they’d make it out safe. She was sure the house she rented in the village she grew up in is gone, based on the maps she’s seen so far.
“We were already seeing where all the fire hit, it’s everywhere,” she said late Tuesday from a shelter in nearby Roswell. “If there’s something standing, that’s awesome. But, if not, we were prepared for the worst.”
Lujan Grisham declared a county-wide state of emergency that extended to the neighboring Mescalero Apache Reservation where both fires started and deployed National Guard troops. The declaration unlocks additional funding and resources to manage the crisis.
Nationwide, wildfires have scorched more than 3,280 square miles (8,495 square kilometers) this year — a figure higher than the 10-year averages, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. About 20 wildfires currently burning are considered large and uncontained, including blazes in California and Washington state.
Lujan Grisham said the two southern New Mexico wildfires together have consumed more than 31 square miles (80 square kilometers). The exact causes of the blazes hasn’t been determined, but the Southwest Coordination Center listed them as human-caused.
“We are deploying every available resource to control these fires.” she said.
While many older residents call Ruidoso home year-round, the population of around 7,000 people expands to about 25,000 during the warmer months, when New Mexicans and Texans from hotter climates seek the cool of the leafy aspen trees, hiking trails and a chance to go fishing.
Nestled within the Lincoln National Forest, Ruidoso boasts nearby amenities including a casino, golf course and ski resort operated by the Mescalero Apache Tribe. Horse races at the Ruidoso Downs also draw crowds as home to one of the sport’s richest quarter-horse competitions.
Ruidoso residents fled Monday through traffic-clogged downtown streets some described as apocalyptic, with smoke darkening the evening sky, embers raining down and 100-foot (30-meter) flames in the distance climbing over a ridgeline.
The evacuation order came so quickly that she Christy Hood and her husband Richard only had time to grab their two children and two dogs. Heavy traffic on the way out turned what should have been a 15-minute drive into a harrowing two-hour ordeal.
“As we were leaving, there were flames in front of me and to the side of me,” said Hood, a real estate agent in Ruidoso. “And all the animals were just running — charging — trying to get out.”
On social media posts, Ruidoso officials didn’t mince words: “GO NOW: Do not attempt to gather belongings or protect your home. Evacuate immediately.”
As Jacquie and Ernie Escajeda left church Monday in Ruidoso, they saw smoke rise above a mountain behind their house.
They kept a close eye on their cellphones and turned on the radio for updates. There was no “get ready,” nor “get set” — it was just “go,” Ernie Escajeda said. They grabbed legal documents and other belongings and left.
On Tuesday, the couple got a call from friends who are on vacation in Utah but have a home in Ruidoso that they’ve been told was destroyed, Jacquie Escajeda said.
“They lost their home,” she said. “There’s only one home standing in their whole little division that they live in, so there are a lot of structures lost. We have no idea if we’re going to have a home to go to.”
Public Service Company of New Mexico shut off power to part of the village due to the fire.
Lujan Grisham said cellphone service had been affected in some communities near the fire, and mobile cell towers were being set up to restore communications.
Amid highway closures, many evacuees had little choice but to flee eastward and to the city of Roswell, 75 miles (121 kilometers) away, where hotels and shelters quickly filled. A rural gas station along the evacuation route was overrun with people and cars.
___
Lee reported from Santa Fe, New Mexico. Associated Press writers Sarah Brumfield in Washington, D.C.; Felicia Fonseca in Flagstaff, Arizona; Anita Snow in Phoenix; Rio Yamat and Ken Ritter in Las Vegas; and Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada, contributed to this report.
___
AP Ruidoso wildfires page: https://apnews.com/hub/ruidoso
New Mexico
Where to watch San Diego State vs New Mexico football streaming free tonight; TV channel, spread, game odds
Two teams who have fallen on tough times square off when the New Mexico Lobos face San Diego State in a Week 11 college football showdown. This game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. MDT) on Friday, November 8 with a live broadcast on FS1, and streaming live on demand.
• WATCH: San Diego State vs. New Mexico football live for free with Fubo (free trial) or with Sling (cheapest streaming plans, $25 off your first month) or see more streaming options below.
What TV channel is the San Diego State vs. New Mexico college football game on today?
When: Kickoff takes place at 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. MDT) on Friday, November 8.
Where: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA
TV Channel: FS1
How to watch streaming live on demand: If you don’t have cable, you can still watch this game live for FREE with Fubo (free trial) or with DirecTV Stream (free trial). If you are out of free trials, the cheapest and best way to watch this game and more football this month is by signing up for Sling (promotional offers, cheapest streaming plans), which costs around $31 for the first month if you add the “Sports Extra” package that includes Big Ten Network and a few other sports channels. If you already have a cable or satellite subscription already, you can watch the game on FOX Sports Live by signing in with your provider information.
What TV channel is FS1 on?
You can find out more about which channel FOX Sports 1 is on in your area by using the channel finders here: Comcast Xfinity, DIRECTV, Dish, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice.
San Diego State vs. New Mexico spread, latest betting odds
Point spread: SDSU: -3 | NM: +3
Over/Under: 67.5
- Get promo codes, signup deals and free bets from our Oregon Betting News home page.
The UCLA Bruins are revved up for a few marquee matchups this Friday in a few different sports. Basketball and football seasons are colliding which means more exciting news to come out of Westwood this weekend.
In this episode of the UCLA Bruins Insider Podcast, Bruins on SI beat writer Tom Cavanaugh previews an upcoming visit for an in-state football prospect, several key players for the Bruins’ hoops ahead for their Friday matchup with New Mexico, and a former Bruin that is taking strides in the NBA.
UCLA Bruins on SI’s own Aidan Champion wrote a piece earlier this week on four key players to watch out for in the Bruins’ basketball matchup against New Mexico. You can read that article HERE.
Champion mentioned three transfers and one impact returner that will make waves for the program this season and should be on the lookout for breakout performances against a talented Lobos team.
Oregon State transfer forward Tyler Bilodeau, Louisville transfer guard Skyy Clark, former USC Trojan guard Kobe Johnson, and returning sophomore guard Sebastian Mack. All four had good showings in the season opener against Rider and will be put to the test against a much better program.
Former Bruin star turned NBA, Johnny Juzang, has taken a big stride in his second season with the Utah Jazz. A 17-point performance against the Nuggets earlier this month, followed by an 8-point game a few days later, is showing that he has the ability to play at the next level.
Bruins first-year football head coach DeShaun Foster will host another recruit this weekend for their Homecoming game at the Rose Bowl against the Iowa Hawkeyes (6-3). Elisha “Tyger” Canales is a 2025 three-star defensive back out of San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
Canales will get a taste of what it’s like to play ball in Pasadena and should be immersed in one of the most electric crowds in college football, especially on Homecoming when so many former players and alumni will be in attendance.
Foster spoke to the media earlier this week and gave his thoughts on the Hawkeyes’ disciplined, physical program and what he expects from their Heisman candidate running back, Kaleb Johnson.
“This is a real culture that we’re playing against because he’s [Iowa HC Kirk Ferentz] been there for a long time,” Foster said. “The way that he wants to play is embedded into his players and you can see that, so this is a good challenge for us at home. — This kid [Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson] is special. You can see that, and he’s a guy that the more carries he gets, the more he gets going. You just got to find a way to get him down, and it’s more of swarming to the ball and not just one guy doing it.”
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