RUIDOSO FORESTRY DEPARTMENT

Managing Green Fuels to Mitigate

Catastrophic Effects of Wildfire

The Ruidoso Forestry Department is charged with the Management of Green Fuels within the Village to mitigate the catastrophic effects of a wildfire that impacts the Village. Below is the history of the department and the requirements of the landowner according to the Village Ordinance.

» 1998: VOR began to formally address forest health and wildfire hazard reduction issues by purchasing a grapple truck and offering debris pick-up service. A forestry working group was appointed.

» 2000: A second grapple truck was purchased, and a forester was added to the staff. The forester was charged with developing and implementing a Community Forest Management Plan (CFMP). The Greater Ruidoso Area Wildland Urban Interface Working Group was formed and developed a strategy for prioritization of projects. At this time, Ruidoso was rated as the #1 at-risk city in New Mexico for catastrophic wildfire and #2 nationally.

» 2001: Existing ordinances restricting thinning efforts were relaxed (up until this time, a landowner had to have a permit to remove a 5” diameter tree) and forestry assessments were offered to the public.

» 2002: Village Council enacted a suite of ordinances mandating fuels reduction on all lands within Ruidoso and a fire hazard rating standard for new construction regarding structural ignitability and site development. Concepts from the Firewise Communities USA program plus research done on home ignition zones were combined to establish objective fuels management standards. Kokopelli Fire burns 20+ homes in the Ruidoso area.

» 2003: A Municipal Forestry Department was created, and two additional grapple trucks were purchased as demand for services increased. VOR began to contract composting of the forest waste. The Village was recognized with a Firewise Community Award and a National Forest Service Rural Communities Assistance Spirit Award.

» 2004: The first Community Wildfire Protection Plan was approved. Collaboration between Federal Agencies, County Government, Municipal Governments, Subdivisions, Mescalero Tribe, Industry, and Community.

» 2011: White Fire burned 11,000 acres just east of Ruidoso, and five homes were lost.

» 2012: The Swallow Fire burns nine homes in an area that had been thinned and verified that the work being done positively affected fire behavior and allowed suppression forces to do their job. Little Bear Fire burned over 40,000 acres and 240+ structures were lost. Properties that were treated and the camping area around Bonito Lake confirmed that fuel treatments worked in mitigating damage from a large fire. Fuel management standards were updated using lessons learned from large wildfire studies over the past 10 years as to what worked and what didn’t.

» 2013: Ordinance updated.

» 2014: Community Wildfire Protection Plan updated.

» 2016: 200-acre Moon Mountain Fire was stopped with a backfire made possible by thinning Village Property. No structures were lost.

» 2016: 42-80 Ordinance updated.

» 2017: First rotation of thinning subdivisions was complete.

» 2018: The Forestry Department began a second rotation of sequencing through the Village for fuels management requirements.

» 2019: Community Wildfire Protection Plan was updated, and a Fuels Management Plan for Moon Mountain was prepared.

» 2022: Severe wind event with winds clocked to 90 MPH. Numerous fires from trees hitting powerlines with one near the Ruidoso High School on Warrior Drive starting the McBride Fire which burned over 200 structures with 13 homes burned in the Village limits and the rest being in Lincoln County east of the Village. Even though there were 13 homes destroyed in the Village, the thinning of Village and School property minimized the damage. All 13 homes destroyed in the Village were on McBride and Timberline.

The Ordinances require Landowners to provide measures to help mitigate damages in the instance of a wildfire:

1. The landowner must thin their property according to Ordinance Standards and maintain the Standard.

2. They are required to have their property inspected every 10 years by the Forestry Department.

3. The inspection ensures the standards are met. Following the inspection, the Forestry Department issues a letter of certification that is good for 10 years.

4. Every landowner is required to pay a yard waste fee on their monthly utility bill of $4 per acre if the property is certified and $12 per acre if the property has not been certified or the certification has expired. The rate increases the month after the certification expires and the landowner is charged the higher fee until the property is again brought into compliance and a new certification issued. Money from this fee is used to pay for the grapple truck support in removing the thinned material and partially supporting the Forestry Department.