New Mexico wildfires: 1 dead, 1,400 structures damaged; emergency declared in Lincoln county

New Mexico wildfires:At least 1,400 structures were destroyed and one person was killed in New Mexico wildfires that broke out Monday morning (Jun 17), as officials in the US state said Tuesday that more than 7,000 people were evacuated from an entire town. The South Fork fire initially engulfed around 360 acres of the Mescalero Apache Reservation Monday and later expanded to 15,276 acres by Tuesday evening. On the other hand, the Salt Fire has burned down an estimated 5,557 acres. According to officials, both fires were contained 0 per cent by Tuesday and the cause of the fires was being ascertained.

State of emergency

Ruidoso village, just west of the Apache reservation, was evacuated Monday as the expanding wildfire threatened more than 7,700 villagers. Within hours, people in the nearby community of Ruidoso Downs were also asked to leave the area.

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Ruidoso Downs has a population of over 2,400 and at least two people there are being treated for injuries, as per officials.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, while declaring a state of emergency for Lincoln County and the Mescalero Apache Reservation, said, "We are deploying every available resource to control these wildfires."

The governor has also dispatched the National Guard to assist the fire-containing efforts.

'Extreme fire behaviour'

According to New Mexico State Forester Laura McCarthy, they have observed "extreme fire behaviour" in the region, with the fire picking up speed again on Tuesday.

Watch:California wildfire burns 12,000 acres, forces evacuations

"This fire is dangerous and fast-moving," the official said at a news conference. "The winds are strong. They're not quite at the red flag level, but they are close."

Change in weather expected

McCarthy said the weather is expected to change, which may affect the fires in a significant way, both for good and bad. Winds are expected to shift from the west starting Tuesday due to a "back-door cold front" arriving possibly on Wednesday or Thursday. This change could also bring moisture to the area where the fires are burning.

"It's both bad news and good news, from a weather perspective," McCarthy said. "It also means that this fire is going to be dynamic, at least until we see what rainfall amounts materialise."

(With inputs from agencies)