Officials provide update on McBride Fire during community meeting

RUIDOSO, N.M. – At a community meeting Saturday night, people got an update from fire officials on the McBride Fire evacuation orders.

Officials announced the McBride Fire is now 56% contained, when just a few hours ago, the fire was at 0% containment.

Firefighters have a lot more of the McBride Fire under control, and many people are able to return to their homes right now.

“We had to get through those wind events to let us feel good about the lines that we had and when we heard about the evacuation lifting today and yesterday. It’s great to get folks back in their homes, especially it being Easter weekend,” said Southwest Incident Commander Dave Bales.

Those lifted evacuations include: Gavilan Canyon from Warrior Drive north to Highway 48, Fawn Ridge, Homestead Acres, Rancho Ruidoso Valley Estates, Deer Valley and Deer Park. As well as Alto Mesa Estates, Deer Creek Road, Cougar Lane, Woodwind Lane, Skyhawk Lane and finally areas east of Flute Player Way.

Two areas that are still under mandatory evacuations is Gavilan Canyon from Warrior Drive south to Highway 70 and Lower Eagle Creek.

Over the last week, community leaders have learned what parts of their emergency response plan needs improvement and they promised to increase communication and their notification system called “Ready Set Go!”

“We need people all the time to be ready, you need to be ready so when it’s sent you are about to walk out the door and evacuate. And when we ring that bell it is time to evacuate and everyone needs to know that including our own personal and we need to be working together,” said Ira Pearson Lincoln County manager.

While evacuations have been lifted for multiple areas, city officials are asking that only residents of those neighborhoods go into those areas. They are asking everyone else to stay away and wait a few days to drive through those areas. The chief of police says they will have officers patrolling those areas checking peoples ID’s for proof of residence, adding at this time the less congestion the better.