Residents are slowly returning to the fire-ravaged village of Ruidoso in the mountains of southern New Mexico after the South Fork and Salt fires tore through the area, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. The fires, which started on June 17, have claimed at least two lives, destroyed over 1,500 structures, and forced thousands to evacuate.
The mayor of Ruidoso, Lynn Crawford, has cautioned residents that certain areas of the village remain off-limits as search and rescue teams continue to scour the rubble for the remains of individuals who are still unaccounted for. As of Monday, 29 people are listed as missing, with search teams working diligently to locate them.
