RUIDOSO, N.M. – After the wildfires and the flooding the Village of Ruidoso has seen, it’s time to start thinking about what’s going to happen next. For many, that means making a claim to FEMA. 

“We’re encouraging everyone who’s been affected by this disaster to reach out and register with FEMA, to make sure that you have access to those tax dollars that are here to help you start your recovery. Regardless of what you may have heard in the past, whatever rumors there may be, this is a new disaster. And these are new needs that people have, and we want to make sure that people have the dollars they need to recover,” said Roberto Baltodano, an external affairs officer for FEMA.

This includes renters, churches, homes and business owners.

You will need to bring an ID and proof that you rent or own the property. Right now, the deadline to file a claim is Aug. 20. That deadline is for victims of both wildfires and flash floods.

“There is a federally declared disaster that obviously was the wildfires, but the floods are as a consequence of the wildfires. Therefore, they’re all one and the same. It is one disaster the way we see it,” said Baltodano. 

Wednesday night wasn’t the first time Ruidoso saw flooding this bad. If this continues to happen, FEMA is considering on extended deadline.

“We are working in close coordination with the state and local authorities to determine additional needs, and that includes the possibility of extending a deadline if the need arises. So if there are additional floods that obviously produce more damages, that is a consideration in the conversation, we have a very close coordination with the state,” said Baltodano. 

For more information on how to apply for aid, visit FEMA’s website.