LEA COUNTY, N.M. — Converging wildfires have ravaged the Village of Ruidoso to the point that the New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has declared a state of emergency in Lincoln County and the Mescalero Apache Reservation.
Because of this, Ruidoso citizens have been evacuating the area en masse to save themselves and their families.
While shelters have opened up in the area, Lea County have opened up some of their resources for any Ruidoso citizens looking to get as far away as they can.
Donations are also being accepted at those same places that will be delivered to shelters closer to the fires.
“If they are in Hobbs, they can take it to the Lea County Event Center,” Lea County Community Engagement Manager Sandy Brito said. “For Lovington, you can come to the Lea County Fairgrounds.”
The Lea County Fairgrounds are also accepting people who need a place to stay, offering 70 RV hookups and 148 covered horse stalls for anybody with livestock.
While both businesses will be closed for Juneteenth, both will be back open on Thursday from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M.
Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and Casino has also been affected by the fires, as it is a popular area for horseracing.
With the fires, however, the horses that live there are affected just as much as the people. Which is why Zia Park Casino Hotel and Racetrack, a casino in Hobbs, has stepped up to help them out.
They have offered Ruidoso Downs and their horse stable space and an open barn area where horse riders can stay.
“We've been in contact with Ruidoso Downs management over the past couple of days, they had the surprise situation,” Chris McErlean, Vice President of Horse Racing at Penn Entertainment, said. “They have been reaching out to different locations around the state to accommodate the horses that are currently on the grounds in Ruidoso.”