The Reporter's Notebook, Ep. 14: Ruidoso wildfires destroy homes, lives
The McBride Fire that ripped through Ruidoso left this home on McBride Drive in ruins on April 14, 2022. All that was left of the two-story house is smoldering remains. (Justin Garcia / Las Cruces Sun-News)
In this week’s episode, we’re talking about the recent wildfires that have plagued the residents in and around Ruidoso, in the Lincoln National Forest. The McBride Fire, which ignited on a windy Tuesday afternoon near Ruidoso's middle school, has since destroyed more than 200 homes — most notably in Gavilan Canyon — and claimed the lives of two people. And, as of Friday morning, the fire remained 0% contained — despite favorable weather conditions Thursday. That had improved to 56% by Sunday morning.
We're joined by Las Cruces Sun-News reporter Justin Garcia, who covers breaking news and public safety for the newspaper, as well as Alexander Meditz, a Ruidoso resident who was forced to evacuate and later returned to the fire-zone to help other residents.
Alexander's home was spared. Some of his neighbors weren't nearly as fortunate.
This podcast was originally published by the Las Cruces Sun-News.
