This satellite image released by Maxar Technologies shows wildfires burning near Ruidoso, N.M. on Wednesday, June 19, 2024
- Uncredited - handout one time use, ASSOCIATED PRESS
An air tanker soars through a large plume of smoke over and around wildfire-affected areas in the village of Ruidoso, N.M., Tuesday, June 18, 2024.
- Chancey Bush - member image share, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ardis Holder, center, and her daughters Adalene, left, and Analece spend the night at a shelter in Roswell, N.M., after evacuating from Ruidoso, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Thousands of southern New Mexico residents fled the mountainous village as a wind-whipped wildfire tore through homes and other buildings.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this image taken from webcam footage provided by the Village of Ruidoso, smoke rises behind Ruidoso, N.M., on Monday, June 17, 2024. Thousands of southern New Mexico residents fled the mountainous village as a wind-whipped wildfire tore through homes and other buildings.
- Uncredited - hogp, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Steven Dobrovolskis eats a slice of pizza while spending the night at a shelter in Roswell, N.M., after evacuating from Ruidoso, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Thousands of southern New Mexico residents fled the mountainous village as a wind-whipped wildfire tore through homes and other buildings.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
A car rides on the road to Roswell, N.M., as smoke from a wildfire partially blocks the sun near the village of Ruidoso, N.M., Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Thousands of southern New Mexico residents fled the mountainous village as a wind-whipped wildfire tore through homes and other buildings.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
An air tanker drops fire retardant called slurry over and around wildfire-affected areas in the village of Ruidoso, N.M., Tuesday, June 18, 2024.
- Chancey Bush - member image share, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Smoke from a wildfire rises over trees in Ruidoso, N.M., Monday, June 17, 2024. Residents of the mountain village of about 7,000 residents fled their homes under evacuation orders with little time to rescue belongings.
- Jacquie Escajeda - handout one time use, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Smoke from a wildfire rises over Ruidoso, N.M., Monday, June 17, 2024. Residents of the mountain village of about 7,000 residents fled their homes under evacuation orders with little time to rescue belongings.
- Jacquie Escajeda - handout one time use, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Residents of the Mescalero Apache Reservation rest while sheltering at the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort in Ruidoso, N.M., Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Thousands of residents fled their homes as a wildfire swept into the mountain village of Ruidoso in southern New Mexico.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
A Ruidoso resident sleeps at a shelter in Roswell, N.M., after evacuating from Ruidoso, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Thousands of southern New Mexico residents fled the mountainous village as a wind-whipped wildfire tore through homes and other buildings.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
A Ruidoso resident checks a map on a screen while spending the night at a shelter in Roswell, N.M., Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Thousands of southern New Mexico residents fled the mountainous village as a wind-whipped wildfire tore through homes and other buildings.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
A couple from Ruidoso, N.M. camps at the Eastern New Mexico State Fairgrounds in Roswell, N.M., Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Strong wind pushed the larger of two wildfires into the mountain village of Ruidoso, forcing residents to flee. One person was killed and hundreds of structures were damaged.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trainer John Stinebaugh inspects his horses after evacuating them from Ruidoso Downs to Artesia, N.M., Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Strong wind pushed the larger of two wildfires into the mountain village of Ruidoso, forcing residents to flee. One person was killed and hundreds of structures were damaged.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trainer John Stinebaugh inspects his horses after evacuating them from Ruidoso Downs to Artesia, N.M., Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Strong wind pushed the larger of two wildfires into the mountain village of Ruidoso, forcing residents to flee. One person was killed and hundreds of structures were damaged.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Drake Thurman, 13, volunteers to care for a race horse who was evacuated from Ruidoso Downs to Artesia, N.M., Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Strong wind pushed the larger of two wildfires into the mountain village of Ruidoso, forcing residents to flee. One person was killed and hundreds of structures were damaged.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Race horses that were evacuated from Ruidoso Downs rest at a stall in Artesia, N.M., Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Strong wind pushed the larger of two wildfires into the mountain village of Ruidoso, forcing residents to flee. One person was killed and hundreds of structures were damaged.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Deep Blue, a winning race horse who was evacuated from Ruidoso Downs, rests at a stall in Artesia, N.M., Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Strong wind pushed the larger of two wildfires into the mountain village of Ruidoso, forcing residents to flee. One person was killed and hundreds of structures were damaged.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
AP
More than 1,000 firefighters are taking advantage of the weather to get the upper hand on a pair of fires in New Mexico that killed two people, destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands to flee
This satellite image released by Maxar Technologies shows wildfires burning near Ruidoso, N.M. on Wednesday, June 19, 2024
- Uncredited - handout one time use, ASSOCIATED PRESS
An air tanker soars through a large plume of smoke over and around wildfire-affected areas in the village of Ruidoso, N.M., Tuesday, June 18, 2024.
- Chancey Bush - member image share, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ardis Holder, center, and her daughters Adalene, left, and Analece spend the night at a shelter in Roswell, N.M., after evacuating from Ruidoso, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Thousands of southern New Mexico residents fled the mountainous village as a wind-whipped wildfire tore through homes and other buildings.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this image taken from webcam footage provided by the Village of Ruidoso, smoke rises behind Ruidoso, N.M., on Monday, June 17, 2024. Thousands of southern New Mexico residents fled the mountainous village as a wind-whipped wildfire tore through homes and other buildings.
- Uncredited - hogp, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Steven Dobrovolskis eats a slice of pizza while spending the night at a shelter in Roswell, N.M., after evacuating from Ruidoso, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Thousands of southern New Mexico residents fled the mountainous village as a wind-whipped wildfire tore through homes and other buildings.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
A car rides on the road to Roswell, N.M., as smoke from a wildfire partially blocks the sun near the village of Ruidoso, N.M., Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Thousands of southern New Mexico residents fled the mountainous village as a wind-whipped wildfire tore through homes and other buildings.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
An air tanker drops fire retardant called slurry over and around wildfire-affected areas in the village of Ruidoso, N.M., Tuesday, June 18, 2024.
- Chancey Bush - member image share, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Smoke from a wildfire rises over trees in Ruidoso, N.M., Monday, June 17, 2024. Residents of the mountain village of about 7,000 residents fled their homes under evacuation orders with little time to rescue belongings.
- Jacquie Escajeda - handout one time use, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Smoke from a wildfire rises over Ruidoso, N.M., Monday, June 17, 2024. Residents of the mountain village of about 7,000 residents fled their homes under evacuation orders with little time to rescue belongings.
- Jacquie Escajeda - handout one time use, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Residents of the Mescalero Apache Reservation rest while sheltering at the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort in Ruidoso, N.M., Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Thousands of residents fled their homes as a wildfire swept into the mountain village of Ruidoso in southern New Mexico.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
A Ruidoso resident sleeps at a shelter in Roswell, N.M., after evacuating from Ruidoso, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Thousands of southern New Mexico residents fled the mountainous village as a wind-whipped wildfire tore through homes and other buildings.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
A Ruidoso resident checks a map on a screen while spending the night at a shelter in Roswell, N.M., Tuesday, June 18, 2024. Thousands of southern New Mexico residents fled the mountainous village as a wind-whipped wildfire tore through homes and other buildings.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
A couple from Ruidoso, N.M. camps at the Eastern New Mexico State Fairgrounds in Roswell, N.M., Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Strong wind pushed the larger of two wildfires into the mountain village of Ruidoso, forcing residents to flee. One person was killed and hundreds of structures were damaged.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trainer John Stinebaugh inspects his horses after evacuating them from Ruidoso Downs to Artesia, N.M., Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Strong wind pushed the larger of two wildfires into the mountain village of Ruidoso, forcing residents to flee. One person was killed and hundreds of structures were damaged.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trainer John Stinebaugh inspects his horses after evacuating them from Ruidoso Downs to Artesia, N.M., Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Strong wind pushed the larger of two wildfires into the mountain village of Ruidoso, forcing residents to flee. One person was killed and hundreds of structures were damaged.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Drake Thurman, 13, volunteers to care for a race horse who was evacuated from Ruidoso Downs to Artesia, N.M., Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Strong wind pushed the larger of two wildfires into the mountain village of Ruidoso, forcing residents to flee. One person was killed and hundreds of structures were damaged.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Race horses that were evacuated from Ruidoso Downs rest at a stall in Artesia, N.M., Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Strong wind pushed the larger of two wildfires into the mountain village of Ruidoso, forcing residents to flee. One person was killed and hundreds of structures were damaged.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Deep Blue, a winning race horse who was evacuated from Ruidoso Downs, rests at a stall in Artesia, N.M., Wednesday, June 19, 2024. Strong wind pushed the larger of two wildfires into the mountain village of Ruidoso, forcing residents to flee. One person was killed and hundreds of structures were damaged.
- Andres Leighton - freelancer, ASSOCIATED PRESS
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — More than 1,000 firefighters in New Mexico took advantage of a break in the weather on Thursday to get the upper hand — for now — on a pair of wildfires that have killed two people, destroyed hundreds of homes and forced thousands to flee.
President Joe Biden issued a disaster declaration for parts of southern New Mexico, freeing up funding and more resources as crews worked to keep the flames from spreading. Their efforts have gotten a boost from a storm system that brought with it rain, hail and cooler temperatures to the mountain village of Ruidoso and other parts of the state.
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