Lightning is blamed for causing one of the two devastating wildfires that tore through parts of southeastern New Mexico last month.
Federal, state and tribal officials said they identified where the South Fork Fire started, and “human activity and factors did not contribute to the cause.”
The South Fork Fire and the Salt Fire broke out on June 17 in the same general area, near the village of Ruidoso. Thousands were forced to flee their homes as the fire closed in on the village.
Two people died and more than 1,400 structures were damaged in the fires, which are both now about 90% contained.
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President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for New Mexico, freeing up federal funds that will assist affected individuals, households and businesses in the area.
“This federal assistance will help affected residents receive the necessary aid to begin to recover and rebuild their lives,” New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said.
Related story: Yes, wildfires are actually becoming more intense and more common, study says
Firefighting efforts have considerably drawn down since the fires’ peak. There are now only three crews, six engines and one helicopter tending to the fires.
“Fire activity remains limited on the South Fork and Salt fires,” fire officials said on Thursday. “Hot spots remain within dense large, dead/down fuel, dense conifer stands and snags. These heat sources do not threaten containment lines.”
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While the cause of the South Fork Fire has been determined, officials are still investigating how the Salt Fire started.
If it’s determined the fire was caused by a person, the FBI is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of that individual.
It is 100 years since the US government created the world’s first protected wilderness, at the prompting of a visionary conservationist, Aldo Leopold. Encompassing some 1,190 square miles of forested mountains and desert canyons in southern New Mexico, the Gila Wilderness is not a visitor-friendly national park, said Elaine Glusac in The New York Times, but a forbidding natural region, remote and resistant to entry.
Indeed, few places in the US are so well guarded against the selfie-seeking crowds. There are no roads or “artificial trails” – an absence that has led to “countless tales of lost hikers, encounters with poison oak and arduous river crossings”. And the wilderness itself lies within a larger conservation area, the 5,196 square mile Gila National Forest, where the only roads are steep and winding, making access yet more difficult.
I stayed in Silver City, on the edge of the National Forest, which makes a good base for exploring. From there, it’s a 90-minute drive to the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. A complex of 40 rooms built into caves high up on some “amber-hued” cliffs, it was created by a group of hunter-gatherers, the Mogollon people, in the 13th century. Today, it is the area’s “top attraction”, along with the many pictographs they drew on a nearby rock wall – abstract figures and symbols whose meaning is “lost to time”. The cliff dwellings stand at a good entry point into the wilderness – if you can ford the Gila River. On my visit, it was in spate, and I gave up.
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The next day, however, I entered the wilderness at Rocky Canyon, on horseback, in the company of two Forest Service employees. Exploring for eight hours, we passed through a remarkable range of habitats – from desert to alpine – and saw “intriguing” caves, sculptural stacks of boulders, and backcountry hot springs. And while none of the area’s bears, wolves or mountain lions put in an appearance, I spotted many “smaller wonders”, including Montezuma quail, with their “distinct polka-dot breasts”.
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(New Mexico News Connection) New Mexicans affected by recent wildfires and subsequent flooding may be eligible for Disaster Supplemental Nutritional Program benefits. The additional SNAP dollars will provide one month of groceries for individuals and families affected by the South Fork and Salt fires.
Srikanth Paladugu, environmental health epidemiology bureau chief for the New Mexico Department of Health, said those in wildfire-prone areas should always be prepared because the state’s increased and persistent heat as well as strong winds can aggravate asthma and other respiratory issues in both children and adults.
“For example, during the 2022 Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon fire, we reported a significant increase in the number of emergency room visits compared to what it was in the same time frame in 2021,” Paladugu noted.
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The 2022 fires were the largest in state history. The recent fires have so far destroyed more than 1,400 structures, including 500 homes, and killed two people, according to state officials. Those affected in Lincoln and Otero counties can apply for D-SNAP benefits beginning Wednesday. More information is available at 1-800-283-4465.
Paladugu pointed out the state has created a new “531 Visibility Tool,” incorporating mileage and landmarks to help determine visibility if a wildfire is nearby and the need to seek shelter. He explained the method can also be used by event organizers, coaches and recreational leaders to decide if practice or the game should go on or be postponed.
“If you can’t see landmarks that are about five miles away, then young children, and adults over 65 and pregnant women and people with lung and heart disease should minimize their outdoor activities,” Paladugu advised.
He added at any time, regardless of the visibility, those who feel they are having health effects from smoke should take precautions to avoid further exposure and consult a health care professional as needed.
