By Roxana Navarro
Jun 24, 2024, 01:30 AM EDT
On Monday, June 17, a fire broke out that they were unable to control, so they had to evacuate more than 5,000 people from the city of Ruidoso, in New Mexico. After affecting more than 20,000 acres, the investigation is still ongoing. Federal authorities are offering a reward for information about those responsible for starting the wildfire.
The FBI has issued a notice offering a $10,000 reward for information related to the South Fork and Salt fires in southern New Mexico, which forced thousands of people to leave their homes and belongings.
“Responsible human hands”
A statement from the agency clearly suggested that human hands were to blame for the fire that devastated 20,000 acres and thousands of infrastructure. The information could lead to the arrest and conviction of “the person or persons responsible for starting the fires.”
The South Fork Fire, which reached 26 square miles (67 square kilometers), was 26% contained Saturday. The 12-square-mile (31-square-kilometer) Salt Fire was 7% contained as of Saturday morning, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Full containment was not expected until July 15, The Associated Press reported.
Recent rains and cooler weather helped more than 1,000 firefighters work to contain the fires as they took advantage of 70-degree Fahrenheit temperatures.
Firefighters used excavators to dig protection lines. Hand crews used shovels in rougher terrain to fight fires near the mountain town of Ruidoso.
Evacuation orders for three counties
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency as the dual South Fork and Salt fires have spread to 20,000 acres with 0% containment as of Tuesday afternoon, June 18.
The evacuation orders were for three counties in the state: Mescalero, Otero and Lincoln, Grisham said during a news conference.
Governor Grisham specified that 17 federal and state agencies, as well as 800 people on the ground, worked to help families amid the evacuations. Also, 13 teams of forest fire experts fought the flames along with other firefighting teams.
If you have any information about this case, please contact the FBI’s toll-free tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). You can also contact your local FBI office, the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
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