Village officials, affordable housing advocates, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) came together this week to celebrate the opening of a housing development serving low-income residents in the Village of Ruidoso, New Mexico. FHLB Dallas provided a $200,000 donation through the Village’s Affordable Housing Bank and Trust following the fatal 2022 McBride Fire.

The New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) is coming to Ruidoso to host free open-table meetings for Lincoln County residents on May 18, 19, and 20, 2023, to help residents seeking recovery support for wildfire and or flood access state and federal recovery programs.

Ruidoso firefighters Anthony Franks and Tony Nanz were honored with awards for their heroic actions in the April 2022 McBride Fire. Alec Davis also received the Fire Safety Commendation Award for his service fighting active wildfires in Texas and California.

New Mexicans impacted by the wildfires and subsequent flooding from burn scars have only five days left to apply for assistance from FEMA. The final deadline to apply is Monday, Nov. 7, 2022. FEMA assistance can help residents find temporary housing, rebuild their homes, replace destroyed property, and more. Don’t delay. Apply today!

FEMA Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRCs) will be stationed in various locations through early October to help eligible New Mexico residents apply for disaster assistance whose homes or personal property were damaged by wildfires and/or subsequent flooding directly related to the burn scars. No appointments are necessary to visit a DRC. However, the fastest and easiest way to apply for federal disaster assistance is online at: disasterassistance.gov/.

The Village of Ruidoso has been working with regional and state partners to help recovery efforts in Gavilan Canyon after the McBride Fire. The fire burned through Gavilan Canyon into the Eagle Creek drainage in early April 2022.

Following the heavy monsoon precipitation that has caused significant localized flooding, Mayor Crawford issued Executive Order 2022-05 on August 25, 2022, making excess recycled asphalt available to residents and property owners to mitigate the damages caused by the record rainfalls.

Businesses and self-employed individuals who experienced financial loss due to recent wildfires will soon be able to apply for financial assistance through the Economic Development Department's Wildfire Business Assistance Grant Program. Eligible applicants may qualify for up to $20,000 in support. Applications will open on Aug. 15 and will close on Aug. 26, 2022. The NM Economic Development Department is hosting an informational webinar on Aug. 11 at 9:00 am to review details and answer questions. Click here to register for the webinar.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has granted New Mexico’s request for Direct Temporary Housing Assistance, initiating a process that will make housing assistance available to eligible New Mexicans who have been affected by wildfire in Lincoln, Mora, and San Miguel counties. Learn more >>

May 26, 2022 - Director Tanya N. Garfield of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West announced today that SBA will close its Ruidoso Business Recovery Center at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 3, 2022. The center will also be closed for Memorial Day, Monday, May 30.

The Village of Ruidoso will implement an escalation to Level 3 fire restrictions at 8 a.m. Thursday, May 19, 2022, which bans sources of fire outside on any public or private property as follows due to extreme fire danger. The order will remain in effect until further notice. Citations will be issued. No exceptions. No warnings.

Landowner applications are now available for download and submission for the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program, a federal emergency recovery program, that offers technical and financial assistance to help Ruidoso landowners Impacted by the April 12, 2022, McBride Fire and Wind Event.

As part of the federal disaster relief secured for New Mexico, the Small Business Administration opened a Business Recovery Center at ENMU Ruidoso to assist businesses impacted by the McBride Fire. The center located at 709 Mechem Drive at ENMU is open Monday - Friday, 8:30 AM - 5 PM. No appointment is necessary – all services are provided free of charge. Businesses of any size and private nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply for assistance.

Learn about the US Forest Service Burn Area Emergency Response (BAER) post-fire processes and methods. Date: May 9, 2022. Location: Ruidoso Convention Center. Time: 3:00 - 5:00 pm. Virtual attendance via Zoom and YouTube is also available.

On May 3, 2022, the Village of Ruidoso issued emergency executive order 2022-01 to waive permit fees for the rebuilding of more than 200 structures that have been destroyed or damaged in the McBride Fire and wind event of April 12, 2022.

Join us on Thursday, May 5, 2022, from 1:00-5:00 PM at the Ruidoso Convention Center for the Governor’s Cabinet In Your Community Lincoln County Wildfire Recovery Meeting. Cabinet leaders, constituent services personnel from various state agencies, and Governor’s Office staff will be on hand to field questions and concerns at this wildfire outreach meeting in Ruidoso.

The Lincoln National Forest joins other forest and parks in New Mexico who are implementing strict fire restrictions among a flurry of wildfires across the state. The Lincoln National Forest is entering Stage 2 fire restrictions just a week after going into Stage 1 restrictions.

The Village is working to make sure every home impacted by the McBride fire and related wind event can recover quickly and completely. As recovery efforts are underway, we will continue to provide resources for rebuilding, including the latest information for permits and property tax assessments to help you recover and rebuild as quickly as possible.

A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team has been established by the Lincoln NF to begin a burned area assessment of the Nogal Canyon and McBride Fires that recently burned on private, state, and federal lands in and near Ruidoso, NM.

After a wildfire, private wells can be contaminated and unsafe to use for drinking water and other purposes. If you are a private well owner, the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) and New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) will provide FREE private well water quality testing on Saturday, May 7, 2022, from 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM at the Ruidoso Swimming Pool, 515 Sudderth Drive, Ruidoso, NM 88345. Those affected by the fire will have the opportunity to get their water tested for bacteria as follows…