@Kachina624 I am relieved that they closed the forests. I have been hoping they would do that. I wish they would close the Lincoln National Forest and the Gila as well. Maybe before Memorial Day? The fire danger posted today at the Smokey the Bear station was extreme. I have never seen the forest this dry. The drought is taking its toll on the pinons.
We made our way to Ruidoso this week. It is one thing to watch reports on tv, but to see the devastation in person really drives home the enormity of the disaster. When we drove into the village, the red slurry was staring at us from the side of the mountain that almost touches the main thoroughfare. We went to our former home on McBride Drive. It was spared as well as the next two houses going up the street. Then two were completely destroyed. Traveling further up the street the fire skipped the next two houses, but then burned the two after them. Next door one house was spared, but still going further up the street, it burned another. The remainder of the houses on the street were spared. The fire attacked the houses from the rear climbing up to them from Gavilon Canyon.
The next development on this same mountain ridge was where Timberline Drive is located. Once the fire climbed up to that street it looked like it burned every house on the side next to the canyon. We were shocked at the extent of the damage and could not determine how many homes were lost.
We traveled from the high school/middle school area up Gavilon Canyon. Every structure in the fire's path was destroyed except one that was somehow saved by the owner. The fire raced up the canyon and crossed in places to get the houses on both sides of the street. Nothing is left but piles of ash and burned out car shells. This is where two people died and some severely burned. A large septic service company that had all kinds of buildings, trucks, heavy duty equipment, etc. was melted off the side of the mountain. Piles of twisted metal were all that was left.
The tree damage was bizarre. The wind-driven fire completely charred some trees, but others looked more scalded than charred. In some areas the upper canopy of the trees was still green, but the lower part looked fairly singed. I have no idea if these trees are viable. The damage was spread as far as the eye could see from our vantage point.
Ironically, the average tourist may come to visit and never see any evidence of the fire. It struck in the neighborhoods that were primarily made up of full-time residents. Many locals lost their only home. I talked to a couple today and made certain their property was untouched by the fire. They said everything was fine for them, but one of their employees did not know there was a fire until he saw his bathroom burning. He grabbed his dog and got out. He lost everything. There was simply no warning, and with no power there was no way to warn people.
The haze from the Gila fire was bad yesterday, but clearing today. We only saw one elk and there was no sign of the wild horses. I supposed the animals have moved. At least I hope that is the case and that they were unharmed.
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