Official Website of the Mescalero Apache Tribe

Donation Update

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Any/all donations are being received and distributed at the IMG West Conference Center near the Stables entrance from 9AM-4PM daily.

Address for West Conference is 686 White Mountain Drive Mescalero,NM 88340

The IMG Convention Center will no longer receive or accept donations.

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Final update from Southwest Area Incident Management Team 5

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Daily Update, Thursday, July 4, 2024

Mescalero Apache Tribe Emergency Operations Center: 575-464-9214 (8am-6pm) 

Village of Ruidoso and Lincoln County Emergency Operations Center: 575-258-6900 (7am-10pm) 

Fire Information Phone:575-323-8378 or 575-323-8258 (8am-8pm) 

Media Information Phone: 575-323-8053 (8am-8pm) 

Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov 

Acres: South Fork – 17,569; Salt – 7,939

Start Date: June 17, 2024 

Location: South Fork – Ruidoso Area, Salt – 7 miles west of Mescalero, NM

Personnel: 354

Containment: South Fork – 87%; Salt – 84% 

Fuels: mixed conifer, grass, pine/juniper  

Resources: The South Fork and Salt fires are currently staffed with 3 crews, 1 helicopter, 6 engines,  
2 bulldozers, and 4 water tenders. 

Highlights: 

Final update: Today will be the last daily update you will receive from Southwest Area Incident Management Team 5 on the South Fork and Salt Fires, unless significant changes occur. Additionally, updates on the Southwest Area Team 5 Facebook page will end today, July 4; the media phone line will disconnect tonight at 8 pm; both public phone lines will disconnect on Sunday, July 7 at 8 pm; and updates to the South Fork and Salt fires inciweb page will end on July 7. Going forward, to obtain information about the South Fork and Salt Fires, please contact the following agencies: Mescalero Apache Tribe at 575-464-4494; Lincoln National Forest at 575-270-2726 and/or New Mexico State Forestry Division at 505-699-0601. It has been a pleasure for Team 5 to support and assist with this dynamic incident, including the management of suppression efforts and suppression repair work, as well as assisting the community in its flood response efforts. The Team will turn over control of the South Fork and Salt Fires to local Agencies, BIA, Mescalero Apache Tribe, Lincoln National Forest and New Mexico State Forestry Division, at 6 pm, July 7. Capable resources are in place to continue to support the ongoing efforts to reach 100% containment. 

Holiday reminder: As you celebrate this Independence Day, please remember that fireworks can cause new ignitions in the persistent dry fuels still present across the region. Fire restrictions are in place and more information is available below, in the “Closures and Restrictions” section.  

Fire Activity: Fire activity remains limited on the South Fork and Salt fires. Hot spots remain within dense large, dead/down fuel, dense conifer stands and snags. These heat sources do not threaten containment lines.  

Suppression repair and structure assessments are still underway. Suppression repair crews assisted with filling sandbags and conducted chipping operations on Wednesday. Today, crews will conduct excavator work on the south end of the South Fork Fire, and bulldozer and chipping work in areas of the Salt Fire, where safe to do so. Please remember to slow down along roadways and in communities as fire personnel, equipment and utility vehicles continue to work in the area.

Weather: Today, high pressure will return, bringing sunny skies with less afternoon clouds and thunderstorms. Temperatures will be warmer and relative humidity will decrease. Relative humidity, storm chances, and rain probabilities will increase Friday and Saturday. 

Closures and Restrictions: A South Fork Fire Emergency Closure Order was issued on June 20, 2024, for national forest lands within the Smokey Bear Ranger District. More information is available at www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/lincoln/alerts-notices/?aid=88199.  

The Lincoln National Forest lifted fire restrictions on July 3, 2024.  Additional details are available at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/lincoln/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD1187089

The Mescalero Apache Tribe issued an updated Class V/Stage II – Extreme Fire Restriction Notice on July 1, 2024. More information is available at www.facebook.com/mescaleroapachetribe. 

The Village of Ruidoso is under a Level 1 Fire Restriction. More information is available at https://www.facebook.com/villageofruidoso.

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) remains in effect. Public/commercial drone flights are also prohibited within this area. Visit https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html for more information.

More information:  

Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmmea-south-fork-and-salt

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SWIMT5

Lincoln County Government: www.lincolncountynm.gov

Mescalero Apache Tribe: https://mescaleroapachetribe.com

Village of Ruidoso: www.ruidoso-nm.gov/south-fork-fire

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Food benefits available for wildfire and flood disaster victims

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Lincoln and Otero County residents, including the Mescalero Apache Tribe, may apply beginning July 10, 2024  

SANTA FE – The New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA) announced today that New Mexicans affected by the South Fork and Salt fires may be eligible for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefits.   

Those affected can apply for D-SNAP from July 10-12, 2024, and July 14-17, 2024.  At Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s request, the state has received federal approval to implement D-SNAP for Lincoln and Otero counties, including the Mescalero Apache Reservation. Approximately 18,000 residents were impacted and may be eligible to apply for D-SNAP benefits. This includes community members who live or work in the following Lincoln County zip codes: 88355, 88345, 88346, and 88312, as well as those in Otero County, including the Mescalero Apache Reservation zip code of 88340.   

These areas were included in the Presidential Disaster Declaration for the South Fork and Salt fires.  “We are grateful for our federal partners’ assistance as New Mexicans face the impact of these devastating wildfires and flooding. Their support, along with the efforts of our dedicated staff, will help more families as we work together to rebuild our communities,” said Kari Armijo, Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Health Care Authority. “We want to assure New Mexicans that we are here to support them during this challenging time.”     

Impacted residents can apply for D-SNAP at the following locations:   

  • Horton Complex: 237 Service Rd, Ruidoso, NM 88348 
  • Roswell ISD Field Office: 1701 S. Sunset Ave, Roswell, NM 88203 
  • Alamogordo ISD Field Office: 2000 Juniper Drive, Alamogordo, NM 88310 

Applications will be accepted from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, starting Wednesday, July 10, through Wednesday, July 17. Please note that all sites will be closed on Saturday, July 13.  On Sunday, July 14, D-SNAP sites will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the Call Center will be closed. 

Residents unable to drive to the D-SNAP locations may call 1-800-283-4465 to apply by phone, document their case, and verbally attest their information.  

To be eligible, residents may qualify if their home or belongings were damaged or destroyed or have experienced a loss or reduction in income and have unreimbursed disaster-related expenses, due to the disaster. Eligible households will receive one month of D-SNAP benefits to purchase groceries at SNAP-authorized stores or select online retailers. These benefits will be deposited onto an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, allowing applicants to use it like a debit card at authorized retailers. 

Additionally, participating SNAP households in the impacted areas, not already receiving the maximum benefit amount for their household size will automatically receive a supplement to increase their benefits to the monthly SNAP allotment for one month.   

Households that purchased food with their SNAP benefits and had it destroyed due to the disaster have until July 17, 2024, to request a replacement of SNAP benefits. To make a request for replacement, call 1-800-283-4465, or any of the D-SNAP site locations. HCA staff will determine applicants’ eligibility. The only requirement to apply for D-SNAP is to verify your identity and have information about your household’s income and any expense related to the disaster. The table below shows the benefit levels:  

Household Size  Income Limit D-SNAP Allotment 
1 $3,041 $291 
2 $3,958 $535 
3 $4,547 $766 
4 $5,354 $973 
5 $5,899 $1,155 
6 $6,588 $1,386 
7 $7,087 $1,532 
8 $7,588 $1,751 
Each Additional member +$501 $219 

To ensure one-on-one guidance, HCA will assist residents alphabetically by last name for the first three days of the application period. The remaining four days will be open to all applicants, regardless of their last name.  

Date Alphabet Served  
Wednesday,  July 10 A-F 
Thursday, July 11 G-M 
Friday, July 12 N-Z 
Saturday, July 13 Closed 
Sunday, July 14 A-Z  
Monday, July 15 A-Z 
Tuesday, July 16 A-Z 
Wednesday,  July 17 A-Z 

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Clean and Sanitize Assistance

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If your home was damaged by the South Fork and Salt Fires and floods, but you can safely live in it, FEMA may be able to provide up to $300 in one-time financial assistance to help with cleanup. This assistance is available to eligible homeowners and renters. You may qualify for FEMA Clean and Sanitize Assistance if you meet the following criteria:

Your fire- or flood-damaged primary residence is in Lincoln or Otero County or on the Mescalero Apache Reservation.

  1. A FEMA inspection has verified your home has disaster damage. The inspection noted that cleanup actions are needed or have already been undertaken.
  2. If you have already cleaned up, save your receipts for supplies, materials or paid help.
  3. The damage is not covered by your insurance.
  4. FEMA has determined your damaged home is safe to occupy.

New Mexico residents who are eligible for FEMA Clean and Sanitize Assistance may also be eligible for additional forms of federal assistance. Clean and Sanitize Assistance is intended to ensure minimal damage to the home is addressed in a timely manner to prevent additional losses and potential health and safety concerns.

Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance

To be eligible for any FEMA Individual Assistance program, you must apply to FEMA. There are four ways to apply:

  1. Go online to disasterassistance.gov/
  2. Download the FEMA App for mobile devices at fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/mobile-products
  3. Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.
  4. Visit the Disaster Recovery Center in Roswell. For location and hours, go online to fema.gov/drc

For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance, visit youtube.com/watch= WZGpWI2RCNw. For the latest information on the New Mexico recovery visit fema.gov/disaster/4795. Follow the FEMA Region 6 X account at X.com/FEMARegion6 or on Facebook at facebook.com/FEMARegion6.

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Crews help community while waiting for road conditions to improve 

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Daily Update, Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Mescalero Apache Tribe Emergency Operations Center: 575-464-9214 (8am-6pm) 

Village of Ruidoso and Lincoln County Emergency Operations Center: 575-258-6900 (7am-10pm) 

Fire Information Phone:575-323-8378 or 575-323-8258 (8am-8pm) 

Media Information Phone: 575-323-8053 (8am-8pm) 

Email: 2024.southfork@firenet.gov 

Acres: South Fork – 17,569; Salt – 7,939

Start Date: June 17, 2024 

Location: South Fork – Ruidoso Area, Salt – 7 miles west of Mescalero, NM

Personnel: 532

Containment: South Fork – 87%; Salt – 84% 

Fuels: mixed conifer, grass, pine/juniper  

Resources: The South Fork and Salt fires are currently staffed with 11 crews, 1 helicopter, 16 engines,  
2 bulldozers, and 5 water tenders. 

Highlights:  

Fireworks – Fireworks are always prohibited on the Lincon National Forest. On the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation, fireworks are only allowed as part of an organized event. 

Fire restrictions – Fire restrictions have been updated for Mescalero Apache Tribal lands. Details available in “Closures”, below. 

Flood mitigation – On Tuesday, crews once again supported flood mitigation efforts, filling an  

additional 28,000 sandbags for the community, bringing the 2-day total of filled sandbags to over  

46,000. 

Fire Activity: Fire activity remains limited on the South Fork and Salt fires. Remaining heat sources on the South Fork Fire are downed logs away from control lines. Hot spots on the Salt Fire remain within dense conifer stands and snags and do not threaten containment.  

Suppression repair crews will work across the South Fork and Salt fire area today. If conditions permit, crews will focus on repair of bulldozer roads and hand lines as well as chipping operations. 

While monsoon season is in progress across the region, dry fuels are still present due to the continuation of the long-term drought affecting the area. Large diameter fuels, like dead/down logs, are dry for this time of year. As the 4th of July holiday approaches, please refrain from using fireworks, as these can cause new ignitions in dry persistent dry fuels.  

Weather: Wednesday brings light clouds across the fire area, temperatures in the mid-80s and light potential for scattered rain. The remainder of the week will include a mix of warm, dry weather, followed by more scattered storms. 

Closures and Restrictions: A South Fork Fire Emergency Closure Order was issued on June 20, 2024, for national forest lands within the Smokey Bear Ranger District. More information is available at www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/lincoln/alerts-notices/?aid=88199.  

The Mescalero Apache Tribe issued an updated Class V/Stage II – Extreme Fire Restriction Notice on July 1, 2024. More information is available on the Mescalero Apache Tribe Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mescaleroapachetribe. 

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire area. Public/commercial drone flights are also prohibited within this area. If you fly, we may have to ground our air resources. Visit https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html for more information. 

More information:  

Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/nmmea-south-fork-and-salt  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SWIMT5  

Lincoln County Government: www.lincolncountynm.gov 

Mescalero Apache Tribe: https://mescaleroapachetribe.com   

Village of Ruidoso: www.ruidoso-nm.gov/south-fork-fire 

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Mescalero Probation Department holiday closure

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All Probationer’s/Parolees

The Mescalero Probation Department will be close for the 4th of July and Ceremonial Holiday, if your required to call in/check in weekly. Please call into your probation officer on your required call in/check in date. From July 4th through July 8th 2024. The Probation Department will re-open Tuesday, July 9th.  

Nena Evans                 575-551-1822

Rosynelle Smith          575-921-5123

Anna Scott                  575-921-5114

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TRIBAL NEWS AND UPDATES