Clovis firefighter: 'Mass destruction' in Ruidoso

Chris Elam described the scene as "utter destruction."

"It was devastating for us just to see the mass destruction of that entire neighborhood, and just knowing people lost their homes and belongings and memories. There are pictures on the wall, you know, heirlooms, things like that," Elam said. 

Elam and about two dozen other Clovis firefighters spent parts of last week helping fight the fires that forced evacuations of Ruidoso and much of Lincoln County. CFD's focus was to try and save structures in the Alto area about 5 miles north of Ruidoso.

The wind-whipped wildfires burned over 25,000 acres and 1,400 structures. Two people died and Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford told news outlet KOAT that "29 people are unaccounted for" early this week.

Elam, a battalion chief, said CFD first received a call to help about 11:30 p.m. on June 17, the day the fires were discovered. They hit the road by midnight and arrived in Ruidoso around 4:30 that Tuesday morning.

A second crew of Clovis firefighters followed a few days later; about 25 personnel in all.

Elam said he couldn't "put a percentage point" on CFD's contributions but said, "We saved a bunch of structures that without interventions would have been lost."

Clovis' team was partnered with Dexter and Hobbs firefighters.

Wind gusts of 25 mph pushed fire from home to home, often through the pine trees.

Elam hit Clovis' golf course on Monday, a needed respite after a stressful week, keenly aware of the impact firefighters' efforts had on residents of Ruidoso.

Since most had been forced to evacuate hours after the fires began to spread, he said most homeowners spent the week wondering if they'd have homes to return to.

"Just put yourself in their shoes for a minute of what they're facing," he said.

Some million-dollar homes, he said, were leveled by the fires, while others next door were left unscathed.

Elam said that CFD utilized an Avenza Map, an app that he said helps locate fires. They worked in daylight and darkness, manipulating water hose lines "to make sure that we're protecting adjacent structures."

Moisture late in the week provided relief.

"Thank goodness, there was rain and hail, which really, really assisted efforts," said Clovis Fire Chief Mike Nolen. 

State officials over the weekend said the fires were largely confined behind perimeters though not contained. Residents were allowed back into the community on Monday. From there many would begin the process of deciding whether to rebuild, knowing the inevitability of another forest fire.

"Anywhere you have a dense population and trees, it's very much a possibility of happening. Whether it was by lightning, whether it's by arson, whether it was ... no telling what, sure it's going to happen again," Nolen said. 

Said Elam: "A lot of people in that area have a lot of wood art like wooden bears that have been carved by chainsaws ... the bears would be burned down. That's pretty sad to see stuff like that."