Thousands evacuated as dual fires surround New Mexico town

A pair of rapidly growing wildfires are converging on a village inside a tribal reservation in New Mexico, prompting thousands to evacuate.

The South Fork Fire, ignited on Monday on Mescalero Apache tribal land, nearly tripled in size overnight, scorching almost 14,000 acres by Tuesday morning. Another blaze, the Salt Fire, is burning south of the village of Ruidoso and burned nearly 5,000 acres. Authorities say both fires are 0% contained.

On Monday evening, officials in Ruidoso - home to 7,800 people - urged residents to evacuate immediately. “GO NOW,” said a note on its website and social media. “Do not attempt to gather belongings or protect your home.” Officials with New Mexico Forestry said that multiple structures are under threat of being destroyed and that “an unknown number of structures have been lost.”