RUIDOSO, N.M. (KRQE) – Less than a month after fires and floods ravaged the Ruidoso area, the village announced it is ready to welcome tourists back to the area. Village officials said crews were able to clear flood debris from the burn site. PNM was also able to restore power to residents. “We are open for business. All of our businesses are small businesses and we need the support of tourists. They are our lifeline,” said Kelly Gladden, Public Information Officer for the Village of Ruidoso.
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Officials said that for safety reasons, the main road into the Upper Canyon remains closed to anyone who isn’t a resident or contractor. The village asks visitors to be aware that some residents may not have returned yet and that the workforce may be dry for some time. “Please recognize what this community has been through. Please understand that our workforce is not returning because some people have not been able to come back. Please be patient with our businesses, restaurants and lodging. We welcome you back. We need you,” Gladden said.
The village said most of the damage from the fire occurred in residential areas on the west side of the village. Many areas toward Ruidoso Downs sustained little damage from the fire but were subsequently hit hard by flooding. “You can’t come here and stay and not realize what happened,” Gladden said. “You don’t see anything that burned, but you know something happened because people around town are talking about it and saying, ‘Oh my gosh, where were you?'”
The fire destroyed about 1,600 buildings around Ruidoso, while floodwaters damaged fewer than 250.
