Community Chat

[On It]

I am watching and reading news accounts of the flooding our village is enduring from the burn scars. There are inaccuracies in almost every news account.

Notice the owner referred to the flooding issue from the burn scar as a drainage area. The news accounts have called it a river. We only have one river and it is not this. These drainage paths are unchartered territory. They are for the most part streets that are being devoured by the extreme amount of water.

This shopping center is the victim of the drainage area mentioned above.

The river is up the street past this damaged center. The water rushed from a drainage area, not the river. These burn scars are changing the dynamic of the land.

Cedar Creek which is normally a tiny trickle of a creek is now a raging torrent with each rain storm. The Cedar Creek area lost almost all its homes to the fire. It is a large burn scar.

This photo shows the deposits done by a tiny creek that is carrying runoff from a burn scar.

The creek devoured a main traffic artery through this narrow canyon. It is going to take a long time to recover from these floods.

[Imaoldhippie]

@On It ..............Wow I am so sorry you are having to endure Mother Natures wrath.

[JoyFilled Warrior]

Hi @On It 

If not by fire, by flood.  Two powerful forces.  I find it incredibly unfathomable in my mind to be subjected to either, let alone both.

My cont'd, fervent prayers for you, yr loved ones, others & their loved ones, vulnerables, incl animals. 

[Kachina624]

@On It   I've seen it happen numerous times. I have first-hand knowledge of a situation but what the press reports is completely erroneous.  You've got to wonder where they get their information.

I think people here don't understand what happens on burn scars.  How the ash mixes with water and becomes as hard as cement so rain is not absorbed by the ground but just rushes over it like your hose on your concrete driveway.  It may take years for this situation to correct itself.

[Oznell]

Oh my, @On It ,  I was not aware of the extent of the damage, and the terrible ongoing issues that the townspeople must be contending with.  Thank you for keeping us posted, and I know many will be praying for Ruidoso, and for you too.

Journalism, as a general prospect, is in very bad straits, and has been for quite a while.  You are absolutely right that hewing to a standard of accuracy has, in many cases, gone by the boards. 

[NYCLatinaMe]

@On It I only recently read about your posts about the fire.  My ❤️ sincerely goes out to you.  It gave me flashbacks about September 11, I was in the vicinity of the towers, but because of the tall buildings and no cell phone at the time, I had no idea of what was going on.  Just people moving.  So I remember the terror that I felt, really for the first time of my life.  Please take care of yourself.

Wondering whether remaining home is reasonable in your situation.  I really have seen no news about this here in NYC.  I hope you and your community are not neglected.  🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[NYCLatinaMe]

@On It   I just looked in my preferred news source (NY Times) and they have been covering, starting June 18.  Brief stories, not on the first page or among the most read stories, so probably the reason why I missed the coverage.  They state the fires were caused by lightning? 

Such a pity that all the TV news channels just don't cover the news anymore, and that there are no newstands anymore.  We have to go hunting on the web to find out what is going on.

Please don't forget to take care of yourself.

[On It]

@NYCLatinaMe Thank you for taking the time to seek out our little village's story. I am surprised that the NY Times knows we exist. My frustration is with our local and regional coverage.

We had two fires. The South Fork fire was said to be caused by lightning. The Lincoln County Sheriff is asking to see the evidence. The village officials want a town hall meeting so that the evidence can be presented for all to see.

The Salt fire was human caused. There are two suspects who set multiple fires beginning in May. On June 17 one of their fires got out of control and burned 7,000+ acres. It caused resources to be pulled from the South Fork fire which devastated entire sections of our village and densely populated areas of Lincoln County. Two people died in the South Fork fire.

The photos I posted are from the South Fork burn scar. A forest fire bakes the soil and basically turns it to concrete. Water rolls off it at high speeds creating flash floods.

The Salt fire burn scar is affecting Highway 70 that connects Roswell to Las Cruces and El Paso. When that scar receives rain, this major highway is closed due to flooding.

A large number of homes have been affected there as well. Our only building supply and lumber yard was heavily impacted by the Salt fire burn scar. This will take years to mitigate.

[DSD2]

Praying for all...

[NYCLatinaMe]

@On It   Thanks for your reporting here!  It was very vivid, and I appreciated reading it, even if it was after the fact.  I do learn a lot on the boards.  Maybe you should collect your posts in a book.

You all have my prayers.