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.

Beginning May 16 to May 19, 2022, from 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., the Village of Ruidoso will be performing sewer line maintenance on the main sewer lines on Sudderth Drive at the circle to Raines Road near Lincoln County Medical Center. The road will have one lane closed where the maintenance will be performed (manholes).

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.

The Village of Ruidoso is hosting a surplus auction of numerous items to be sold to the highest bidders on Saturday, May 21, 2022, at Schoolhouse Park located at 501 Sudderth Drive. The auction will begin promptly at 10:00 am. All sales will be final. Items will be available for inspection on Friday, May 20 from 9:00 am to Noon and on the day of the auction at 8:00 am.

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.

Beginning May 9, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. the Village of Ruidoso will be performing sewer line maintenance on Mechem Drive from the Alpine Village turnoff to Sudderth Dr. which will have one lane closed. The road and lane closures will continue through May 12 or until the work has been completed.

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.

Now, more than ever, local news matters. Vol. 9: May 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.

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 Village will be replacing guardrails on both sides of Hull Road at the Cedar Creek crossing. Hull Road will be closed in both directions from Paradise Canyon Drive to Royal Drive from May 2-6, 2022. Resident access on Hull Road south of Royal Drive will only be available from the north. Please follow the detour route and all traffic control signs.

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…

Highlights: Both the Nogal Canyon and McBride Fires were transferred to a Type 4 Command structure on April 21st at 7:00 am. Safety: Today is an Extremely Critical Fire Weather Day. There are red flag warnings in effect. Lincoln County, the Village of Ruidoso, Otero County, and the Lincoln National Forest are ALL under fire restrictions or burn bans. Please do not burn debris, weld, or have campfires on red flag warning days.

The Grindstone Lake boat ramp will be closed for three weeks effective immediately for the construction of a boat ramp. Boaters can carry their kayaks and boats down the ramp but will not be able to drive down the ramp. The Contractor for the Project is Renegade Construction for more details on the project contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 575-257-5030.

As of 7 am Thursday, April 21, 2022, the McBride Fire has been transferred to a Type-4 Incident Management Team. With high containment numbers and no fire movement for multiple days, we will be switching to a full written update every other day.

In accordance with Lincoln County Ordinance 2017-03, the Board of County Commissioners of Lincoln County has enacted Resolution 2021-58 banning all burning of open flames, fires, campfires, trash, rubbish, shrubbery, or other material of any kind except by permit. This Resolution is to remain in effect for thirty (30) days or until rescinded by the Board of Commissioners.

Due to increasing fire danger, the Village of Ruidoso, NM, has implemented Stage II fire restrictions effective immediately on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. These additional fire protections will remain in effect until officials determine that conditions have changed sufficiently to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfire.