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This program is funded by donations received by the Tribe through donations in the form of cash or gift cards.

This Application must be COMPLETE. You MUST attach:

1. A utility bill showing your name and dated within the sixty (60) days prior to June 17, 2024; or
2. Two of the alternate documents listed in the Program’s Policies & Procedures.

This Application must be returned by 4:30 P.M. on July 31, 2024. For evacuees, to receive payment on a Friday, this Application must be submitted by the immediately preceding Tuesday.

APPLICANTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY ASAP

APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED AFTER THIS DATE WILL BE DENIED

INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL BE DENIED

Applications must be submitted to the Front Desk at Tribal Administrative Offices, 108 Central Avenue, Mescalero, New Mexico or via mail to P.O. Box 227, Mescalero, New Mexico 88340, email to tcochise@mescaleroapachetribe.com, or facsimile to (575) 464-9191 by 4:30 P.M. on July 31, 2024.

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FEMA Disaster Recovery Center located at the Mescalero Apache Schools will CLOSE starting at 1PM on JULY 11th . They will reopen July 12th at 9AM.

The Disaster Recovery Center is set up at the Mescalero Apache School Library from 9AM-7PM

Monday-Saturday is 9AM-7PM only, closed on Sundays.

This setup offers survivors a place to register for FEMA assistance and obtain information about disaster relief resources from federal, state, tribal, territorial government and non-government organizations.

Tribal members are strongly encouraged to visit the DRC and find out information on what is available for them.

Even IF you SEE nothing wrong or no damage, please visit the DRC and speak to the professionals. FEMA is here on the reservation to HELP US.

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Updated contact phone number!

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Any time is the RIGHT time.

Call or text 988

Chat online at 988lifeline.org

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Mescalero Apache Head Start will be at the Mescalero Community Library from 9AM to 3PM on July 9th & 10th for Head Start enrollment.

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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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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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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:  

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.  

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