Southern New Mexico wildfires lead to evacuation of village of 7,000

RUIDOSO, N.M. (AP) — Residents of the southern New Mexico Village of Ruidoso have been ordered to flee their homes without taking time to grab any belongings due to fast-moving wildfires. The village of 7,000 told its residents to evacuate immediately about 7 p.m. Monday. One fire started earlier in the day on the Mescalero Apache Reservation and forestry officials say it has grown to about 21.7 square miles as of Tuesday morning with zero percent containment. A second fire southwest of Ruidoso was over 7.6 square miles. The village is about 75 miles west of Roswell, where several evacuation centers were set up.