NATIONAL NEWS

2 dead in New Mexico wildfire that forced evacuations and damaged homes

Apr 14, 2022, 1:13 PM | Updated: Jun 8, 2022, 3:16 pm

The McBride Fire burns Tuesday in the heart of the village of Ruidoso, New Mexico. (Ivan Pierre Agu...

The McBride Fire burns Tuesday in the heart of the village of Ruidoso, New Mexico. (Ivan Pierre Aguirre/USA Today/Reuters)

(Ivan Pierre Aguirre/USA Today/Reuters)

(CNN) — Two people have died in the McBride Fire raging in southern New Mexico that has scorched more than 5,000 acres and forced evacuations in the Sierra Blanco mountain range, police said.

Police found their remains Wednesday in a home that burned a day earlier in Ruidoso, a village of more than 7,000 people roughly a 180-mile drive southeast of Albuquerque, state police said.

Firefighters had fought the flames at the home Tuesday afternoon, and that evening village police “received information about an elderly couple who attempted to evacuate the McBride Fire but were unaccounted for by family members,” state police said.

Police did not say whether the two people who died were the couple reported missing. The deaths are under investigation, and the state medical investigator’s office was working to identify the victims, state police said Wednesday.

The McBride Fire, which started Tuesday afternoon in Ruidoso, has burned 5,381 acres, had no containment and was spreading northeast as of Wednesday evening, according to the New Mexico Fire Information website, an interagency resource with information from federal and state agencies.

The flames have destroyed or damaged more than 200 structures, local officials said, and many Ruidoso-area residents have been told to evacuate.

One of those residents, Chris Barela, left with his wife Tuesday to stay with relatives in Las Cruces after the fire came within about 2 miles of their home, he told CNN affiliate KFOX.

“We got our go-bags and important papers, things like that, had them ready,” Barela said.

The McBride Fire is one of several wildfires that have raged in the state in recent days, fueled in part by strong winds and low humidity.

Five fires — the Hermit’s PeakMcBrideOverflowBig Hole and Nogal Canyon fires — have recently scorched more than 15,000 acres of land in New Mexico, according to InciWeb, a US clearinghouse for wildfire information.

Much of New Mexico’s eastern half Thursday was under red flag warnings, which the National Weather Service issues to indicate strong winds and other conditions will combine to create high risks of fire danger.

Ruidoso — with winds forecast to get up to 20 mph — was not in the warning area Thursday. Winds have calmed there since gusts over 60 mph hit on Tuesday, officials said.

The state has received federal fire management assistance grants that will provide resources for crews battling wildfires, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said Wednesday.

“I want to assure the people of New Mexico that our local, state, federal and tribal agencies are working around the clock to make sure evacuees have the support they need as these unprecedented spring wildfires tear through our communities,” the governor said.

Evacuations are underway

The largest blaze, Hermit’s Peak — in rugged terrain some 30 miles east of Santa Fe — has scorched more than 7,000 acres and is 10% contained as of Thursday, officials said.

The fire grew aggressively on Tuesday, pushed by wind gusts of up to 70 mph, the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office said. Thursday afternoon may be breezy, but the storm system that brought the stronger winds has passed, according to the New Mexico Fire Information site.

The sheriff’s office said it issued evacuation orders Tuesday and put several areas on standby.

Meanwhile, the Overflow Fire was 100% contained as of Wednesday after charring 1,900 acres over the past week.

The Nogal Canyon Fire, west of Capitan, had burned about 350 acres after sparking Wednesday, and it was 4% contained, according to InciWeb. Residents in the area were placed under mandatory evacuations.

A drop in wind speed helped firefighters working to control the flames, officials said. “Crews are working in steep, rugged terrain, which fire is able to run through the extremely dry vegetation,” an update on InciWeb said.

As for the Big Hole Fire, which scorched more than 900 acres as of Wednesday, containment has reached 40%, according to the New Mexico Fire Information website.

“Extremely dry weather and strong winds kept firefighting aircraft grounded today preventing water drops over the fire area,” officials said about that fire Wednesday.


The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

KSL 5 TV Live

National News

Consumers hunting for Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies this year can expect sticker shock...

John Towfighi, CNN

As cocoa prices soar this Easter, chocolatiers consider alternatives

Consumers hunting for Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies this year can expect sticker shock.

2 hours ago

Post reading "Wall Street"...

Stan Choe, AP Business Writer

Stock market today: Wall Street rises to more records to close out its latest winning month

The stock market has been on a nearly unstoppable run since late October, and the S&P 500 just capped its fifth straight winning month.

3 hours ago

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 03: Larry David, comedian, writer, actor, and television producer loo...

Alli Rosenbloom, CNN

Don’t bother Larry David with menial pleasantries. He’s not interested

Just like the version of himself that he plays on “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” there are some things in life that Larry David can’t be bothered with.

3 hours ago

FILE - President Joe Biden, accompanied by first lady Jill Biden blows his whistle for the start of...

Darlene Superville, Associated Press

The White House expects about 40,000 participants at its ‘egg-ucation’-themed Easter egg roll

The White House says it's getting ready to welcome 40,000 people to its annual Easter Egg Roll.

3 hours ago

FILE: A Polestar electric car prepares to park at an EV charging station on July 28, 2023 in Corte ...

Alexa St. John, Matthew Daly and Joshua A. Bickel

Federal EV charging stations are key to Biden’s climate agenda, yet only 4 states have them

President Biden has set a goal of creating a national network of 500,000 publicly available chargers by 2030.

6 hours ago

A new draft law looks to prohibit the breeding of dogs with “skeletal anomalies,” such as dachs...

Nadine Schmidt, Claudia Otto and Frederik Pleitgen, CNN

Dachshunds under threat as Germany proposes ban on breeding

No more dachshunds? A new draft law looks to prohibit the breeding of dogs with “skeletal anomalies.”

8 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Women hold card for scanning key card to access Photocopier Security system concept...

Les Olson

Why Printer Security Should Be Top of Mind for Your Business

Connected printers have vulnerable endpoints that are an easy target for cyber thieves. Protect your business with these tips.

Modern chandelier hanging from a white slanted ceiling with windows in the backgruond...

Lighting Design

Light Up Your Home With These Top Lighting Trends for 2024

Check out the latest lighting design trends for 2024 and tips on how you can incorporate them into your home.

Technician woman fixing hardware of desktop computer. Close up....

PC Laptops

Tips for Hassle-Free Computer Repairs

Experiencing a glitch in your computer can be frustrating, but with these tips you can have your computer repaired without the stress.

Close up of finger on keyboard button with number 11 logo...

PC Laptops

7 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Laptop to Windows 11

Explore the benefits of upgrading to Windows 11 for a smoother, more secure, and feature-packed computing experience.

Stylish room interior with beautiful Christmas tree and decorative fireplace...

Lighting Design

Create a Festive Home with Our Easy-to-Follow Holiday Prep Guide

Get ready for festive celebrations! Discover expert tips to prepare your home for the holidays, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for unforgettable moments.

Battery low message on mobile device screen. Internet and technology concept...

PC Laptops

9 Tips to Get More Power Out of Your Laptop Battery

Get more power out of your laptop battery and help it last longer by implementing some of these tips from our guide.

2 dead in New Mexico wildfire that forced evacuations and damaged homes