New Mexico
Lightning caused devastating New Mexico wildfire, officials say
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.
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.”
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.
Leapfrog released its 2026 spring hospital safety grades.
Grades are assigned based on overall performance, including patient safety.
The Leapfrog Group’s goal is to publicly report patient safety and quality information for the benefit of consumers, purchasers, and referring physicians as they make decisions about where to seek care and where to direct patients,” the company stated on its website.
Here’s how your local hospitals performed.
MountainView Regional Medical Center – A
Leapfrog gave MountainView an “A.”
“Being the only hospital in Doña Ana County to earn an ‘A’ from The Leapfrog Group speaks to the high standards our team sets – and meets – every day,” said MountainView CEO Patrick Shannon. “This achievement reflects the dedication of our physicians, nurses, and employees to deliver the safest care possible for our community.”
“An ‘A’ Grade is a strong sign that MountainView is deeply committed to protecting patients from harm,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We commend the leadership, Board, clinicians, staff and volunteers for the role each played in earning this distinction.”
The hospital performed better than average in several areas including low infection rates, addressing safety problems, and ICU care. The hospital received below average performances ratings in surgical site infections post colon surgery, communication about medicine and discharge, communication with doctors and nurses and nursing and bedside care for patients.
Memorial Medical Center – B
Memorial Medical Center received a “B” grade from Leapfrog.
The hospital performed well in effective leadership, reduction and prevention of infections and addressing safety problems.
The hospital received below average ratings for kidney injury after surgery, serious breathing problems, harmful events, communication about medicine and discharge, and communication with doctors and nurses.
Not rated by Leapfrog were Three Crosses Regional Hospital.
Nearby top rated hospitals
Leapfrog gave an A to William Beaumont Army Medical Center and Del Sol Medical Center in El Paso. Las Palmas Medical Center in El Paso received a B.
How did other New Mexico hospitals perform?
A recipients were:
- CHRISTUS Southern New Mexico in Alamogordo
B recipients were:
- Lovelace Women’s Hospital in Albuquerque
C recipients were:
- Carlsbad Medical Center in Carlsbad
- CHRISTUS St. Vincent in Santa FE
- Eastern New Mexico Medical Center in Roswell
- Lovelace Medical Center-Downtown in Albuquerque
- Lovelace Regional Hospital in Roswell
- Lovelace Westside Hospital in Albuquerque
- University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque
D recipients were:
- San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington
- UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center in Rio Rancho
Explore the full survey results at https://www.hospitalsafetygrade.org/.
Jessica Onsurez is editor of the Las Cruces Sun-News. Reach her by email at jonsurez@usatodayco.com.
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) — The Social Security Office released the most popular baby names for 2025 on Thursday. And here in New Mexico, we saw some familiar names top the charts once again.
Coming in at No. 1 for girls is Mia, and as for the boys, Noah ranks No. 1. That’s no change from 2024 when Mia and Noah also led the pack, both coming in at No 1. For 2025, there were a total of 66 babies named Mia and 115 babies named Noah, while in 2024, there were 81 Mias and 105 Noahs.
What do the names mean? Online sources list a few different interpretations for Mia, but one common association is with the Italian word “mia,” which means “mine.” As for Noah, the name is most commonly associated with the prominent bible figure. It’s thought to mean “rest,” or “comfort.”
Here’s a look at some of the other top baby names in New Mexico for 2025.
- Girls:
- Olivia (65 total)
- Sophia (65 total)
- Sofia (60 total)
- Camila (59 total)
- Eliana (57 total)
- Isabella (56 total)
- Amelia (53 total)
- Aria (45 total)
- Aurora (45 total)
- Boys:
- Liam (109 total)
- Mateo (99 total)
- Elijah (76 total)
- Santiago (70 total)
- Sebastian (69 total)
- Ezra (67 total)
- Elias (66 total)
- Ezekiel (66 total)
- Levi (69 total)
Nationally, Olivia and Liam are the most popular baby names, and have been for the past seven years, according to the Social Security Administration. As for the fastest-rising names, Klarity jumped nearly 1,400 spots on the girls’ list, and Kasai jumped 1,108 for boy names.
Other names rising in popularity for boys include Atlas, Adriel, Emiliano, Arthur, and Archer. On the girls’ list, Ailany, Sienna, Amara, and Georgia are becoming more popular.
You can find the full list by state online.
Enter your email and we’ll send a secure one-click link to sign in.
KRQE NEWS 13 is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
KRQE NEWS 13 is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. is a leading, diversified media company that produces and distributes engaging local and national news, sports, and entertainment content across its television and digital platforms. The My Nexstar sign-in works across the Nexstar network—including The CW, NewsNation, The Hill, and more. Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.
-
Wyoming1 minute ago
Wyoming cuts wolf hunt in half to buoy Yellowstone region’s disease-depleted population
-
Crypto7 minutes agoTrump administration curbs state oversight of crypto industry – ICIJ
-
Finance13 minutes agoAthol Finance Committee recommends passing 30 of 34 Town Meeting articles – Athol Daily News
-
Fitness19 minutes agobest ellipticals for a low-impact full body workout
-
Movie Reviews31 minutes agoReview: 'Obsession' Ain't Half the Horror Movie It Thinks It Is
-
News49 minutes agoExplosion at Lumber Mill in Searsmont, Maine, Draws Large Emergency Response
-
Politics55 minutes agoJustice Dept. Aims to Use Terrorism Laws to Target Mexican Officials
-
Business1 hour agoSome Medicare Patients Can Now Get Free CBD