The Forest Service reminds all citizens not to fly Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS or drones) near wildfires. It impedes the ability to fight the fire with Aircraft. If you see this happening, please report it immediately. Thank you. If You Fly, We Can't. Learn more >>

There are about 60 PNM crew members continuing to make repairs, replace damaged equipment, and restore more customers today. As of 9:15 AM this morning, there are approximately 1,700 customers that crews are still working to restore. We expect another 800-900 customers will be restored today. If you watch the outage map on PNM.com.

Good Morning from the Incident Command Post for the McBride Fire and the Nogal Canyon Fire. The photos were taken earlier today, as firefighters prepared to head out to their assignments on both fires. We've received additional resources from around the region to join the firefighting effort. A Red Flag warning has been issued for this afternoon. That's due to extremely dry conditions, along with warmer temperatures and increasing winds. We'll have a video Operations Briefing for you later this morning hosted on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/McBrideFire2022

McBride Fire – April 15, 2022 Morning Update: A Public Meeting will be held on Facebook Saturday evening at 6:00 PM. Today firefighters will continue efforts to extinguish and mop up hotspots on the southwest section of the fire. Crews have been working to ensure that the area will be safe for utility work restoration and to ensure residents can return as soon as possible. Dozers and ground crews will continue to work on scouting and constructing line along the rugged north/northeast edge of the fire. Hotshot crews will focus on the east and southeast sides of the fire to construct and secure lines to keep the fire from making runs back towards the Village. Fire activity is expected to increase today due to warmer drier weather and gusty winds.

As of Thursday, April 14, at 6 PM, there are 2,600 customers we're still working to restore. Crews are anticipating getting power back up for another 1,000 customers by 10 PM tonight. Power for Walmart has been restored. Power for Albertsons is expected to be restored by 7 PM. You may see some lag or slight fluctuation in the number of customers still without power on PNM.com as outage restorations are inputted and closed out. More information will be shared as it becomes available.

Stay Aware. This situational awareness mapping tool is a near real-time wildfire mapping system. Track the McBride Fire Map at https://maps.nwcg.gov/sa/#/%3F/%3F/33.3831/-105.6185/12

CURRENT STATUS: PNM crews were able to safely restore power for another few hundred customers a short time ago. There are still about 4,800 customers we're working hard to restore. We expect 3,000-4,000 more customers to be restored by the end of today. Crews were able to safely restore power to Walmart and are working to restore Albertsons today as well. We have about 60 linemen working throughout Ruidoso, including in various canyons, the upper canyon, Cedar Creek Drive, the upper end of Ski Run Canyon, in the core part of town, and the area along Sudderth in the main business district towards Mechem.

Thank you for the outpouring of support for our community during this difficult time! Donations are greatly appreciated but we are being overwhelmed with the physical donation of items. If you’d like to make a monetary donation or are in need of assistance, please contact the Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce at 575-257-7395. If you have been evacuated, please contact the Red Cross at the Ruidoso Convention Center for water, food, and any necessary supplies.

For Ruidoso residents in need of assistance with cleaning yard waste as a result of the wind event on Tuesday, and who are located in an area of the Village not impacted by the fire, please call Ruidoso Parks and Recreation (575) 257-7395 and provide your name and address. Volunteer crews are working to help residents clean up down trees and debris.

PNM crews were able to make more headway overnight and restored power for thousands more customers. Power restoration efforts continue for the remaining 5,000 customers. The Snowcap area experienced heavy damage. Crews will be patrolling underground, making needed repairs, then reenergizing once safe to do so. If you need to charge your medical devices or cell phones, please seek the evacuation center at the convention center or the Lincoln County Medical Center for medical emergencies. Our crews are first responders, going in when everyone has to head out. These 60 crew members from this morning's safety briefing are working through the terrain, fallen trees, broken powerlines, damaged power poles, and more. We know how important power is to you and we will not stop until everyone is restored. Next update will be shortly after 11AM. #ruidosonewmexic

RUIDOSO OUTAGE UPDATE: Yesterday, there were approximately 18,000 customers without power. As of right now, there are about 9,500 customers still to be restored. Additional crews were called in and have been working to get power safely restored for customers in Ruidoso. The majority of the damage our crews are seeing is not due to the fire, rather it’s been due to the 75-90MPH winds the area experienced yesterday. The decision to shut off power yesterday was a difficult but very necessary decision made out of an abundance of caution to first responders and customers in Ruidoso.

On Wednesday afternoon the fire jumped Gavilan Canyon Road leading to the evacuation of all of Gavilan Canyon East behind the McDonald’s Restaurant. Mandatory evacuations remain in place in the following areas: Moon Mountain Area: High Loop, Lupin, Starlight etc. Gavilan Canyon: From Highway 70 to Lower Eagle Creek.. East of Hull: McBride, Snowcap, Timberline, Fawn Ridge, etc.Homestead Acres/Lower Eagle Creek. Rancho Ruidoso Valley Estates, Deer Valley, Deer Park, and Alto East of Flute Player Please evacuate to the Ruidoso Convention Center if you live in those areas. More evacuations are possible.

Learn ways to donate, volunteer, and receive evacuation support during the ongoing crises of the McBride and Nogal Canyon fires. Thank you!

MCBRIDE FIRE UPDATE at 9:00 p.m.: Attached is the current fire map. The fire remains at 0% containment. 150+ structures and houses have been lost and 4,132 acres have burned. We continue to experience power outages in the area. At this time we don't have an estimated time for the power to be restored.

NEWS ALERT: Residents are asked to please conserve water at this time because we are limited in our production efforts with the current power outages. Parts of town may experience a loss of pressure or total outage. We will provide additional updates when we have them.

The Village of Ruidoso Street Department will be replacing a culvert on the following road South Grindstone Canyon Road beginning Monday, April 11, 2022. Closure will be in place until work is completed.

The Cannabis Control Division of the Regulation and Licensing Department on Thursday, in advance of the Friday, April 1, 2022, start of adult-use cannabis sales in New Mexico, provided guidance to consumers they need to safely participate in this new market.

Come meet the finalists for the new Ruidoso Fire Chief at 5:30 pm on Thursday, April 7, 2022, at the Ruidoso Convention Center. Finger foods and drinks will be served.

Now, more than ever, local news matters. Vol. 8: April 2022: This issue of the Village of Ruidoso Insider newsletter covers municipal news and events, bringing information about the people, businesses, schools, nonprofits, and local government decisions and projects that are important to the Ruidoso community.

This report by the Village of Ruidoso and the Ruidoso Midtown Association is intended for the public and Midtown business owners to provide a status update for the 2-phase Center Street Renovation Project.