As wildfires continue to sweep through the lands near Ruidoso, New Mexico, the local community and incoming volunteers are confronting not just the flames but the aftermath that will linger in the scorched earth and the hearts of those affected. Deploying from neighboring Arizona, thirty Red Cross volunteers have joined the frontline, providing aid to more than 500 residents thus far. “It's pretty devastating because they lost everything,” Judy Crook, a Red Cross volunteer and a nurse from Glendale, told ABC15. Her words echo the dire modus of necessity wherein the community grapples with tragedy.
In a battle hardly contained, with the South Fork and Salt fires claiming 23,000 acres and an estimated 1,400 structures, the Red Cross has been pivotal. They've provided more than 1,000 overnight shelter stays and served upwards of 3,000 meals and snacks, as reported by the Red Cross. Life essentials, from food to emotional support, flow incessantly despite the fires, only 31% and 7% contained, respectively. Not anticipated to reach full containment until mid-July, the void between now and that distant date fills with the efforts of over 1,000 personnel, counting firefighters from the Phoenix Fire Department among their ranks.
Ruidoso, a normally tranquil bastion for tourism that beckons nearly 1.9 million visitors annually, sees local businesses like Jasper Riddle’s Noisy Water Winery in Ruidoso, face uncertainty. While evacuating, all Riddle could see, as he told ABC15, was "smoke and it was raining ash and burnt embers out of the sky on my home." Despite tangible losses, he remains hopeful for a community rebound, stating, “Everybody loves this place so much. It’s so special to so many people and I think that's a positive, a lot of it still left.” Fundraisers, such as those organized by the Community Foundation of Lincoln County, have sprouted in response, like hopeful green shoots after a wildfire's passing.
The Red Cross ensures their shelters, which have continually adapted to the ever-shifting demands of the situation, remain open to all, stressing the importance of safety over documentation. “We encourage anyone who needs a place to stay or a warm meal to come to a Red Cross shelter,” says the Red Cross, intentionally providing guidance for those disoriented by the disaster. Information about shelter locations and other critical details is available on their website and through their hotline. Financial donations are also crucial during these times, as identified by the Red Cross, instructing those who wish to contribute specifically to recent wildfire relief to label their gifts “Western Wildfires.”
