“Frontline Heroes: White Sands Firefighters in New Mexico’s Wildfires”
On June 20, 2024, an unusual silence settled over Ruidoso, New Mexico. Normally a bustling summer destination, this popular village in southern New Mexico, known for its noisy charm, was eerily quiet.
The calm was shattered by a mandatory evacuation order as wildfires swept across Lincoln County and the Mescalero Apache Reservation. For four days, the fires continued, and word of the disaster soon spread to nearby communities.
At NASA’s White Sands Test Facility (WSTF), Fire Department Deputy Chief James Herrera and his team remained vigilant from the start of the blaze.
“There were so many rumors, so many things going on,” Herrera recalled. “People were saying the town was completely burning down. We were expecting the worst before we even got there.”
Herrera’s fears were well-founded.
Extreme dry conditions, rugged terrain, and gusty winds exceeding 70 miles per hour fed the flames near the South Fork area west of Ruidoso, consuming nearly 5,000 acres in a matter of hours.
As first responders battled the blaze, a second fire, known as the Salt Fire, ignited on tribal land south of Ruidoso, intensifying the danger.
The twin infernos converged on Ruidoso, posing a serious threat.
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham swiftly declared a state of emergency, prompting a call for assistance.
Herrera knew WSTF, located 150 miles away in Las Cruces, New Mexico, would respond without hesitation.
“Never once did [WSTF leadership] say ‘Sorry, we can’t help,’” Herrera said. “They asked, ‘What can we do to help? How can we get there as soon as possible?’”
The WSTF Fire Department prepared to depart at dawn on June 20. Herrera and his crew readied their equipment, knowing they faced uncertainty.
“We didn’t know where we were going to sleep; there were no hotels, everything was closed,” Herrera said. “More than likely, we were going to end up sleeping in our engine.”
Sleep wasn’t an option.
“I’m not going to lie, we probably didn’t even sleep. I know I didn’t,” Herrera shared. “I closed my eyes, and it was two o’clock in the morning. Time to get going.”
Arriving at the Incident Command Post, Herrera and his team – Lieutenant Gary Sida, firefighters Steven Olsson and Gabriel Rodriguez, and driver/engineer Tommy Montoya – were assigned to the Casino Apache Travel Center off Highway 70.
As they reached the outskirts of the deserted town, the silence was unsettling, matched only by the thick smoke enveloping Sierra Blanca Peak.
“You could not see more than 100 feet,” Herrera said. “The only sign of life was all the fire agencies that were there. It was an eerie feeling.”
NASA’s presence brought relief to the scene.
“There were tears in some of their eyes because we were showing up to help,” Herrera said. “I could hear people saying, ‘What’s NASA doing here?’” He added, “One gentleman asked us how we got there. I joked that we drove the whole line from Kennedy Space Center.”
By the afternoon, however, escalating winds intensified the situation. The fire descended from the mountains, crossed Highway 70, and surrounded the area, creating a dangerous situation.
As air and ground crews battled the inferno, the WSTF Fire Department focused on protecting anything within reach.
“It makes you realize how fast something can be taken away from you,” Herrera reflected.
After 12 exhausting hours, Herrera and his team were released, having provided critical support and successfully safeguarded nearby structures.
“Once it starts to calm down, you can feel your hands start to shake a little bit because this thing was getting out of control really fast,” Herrera recalled.
By the weekend, containment efforts had made significant progress, thanks to the combined efforts of 780 emergency responders. As Ruidoso residents slowly returned, they faced a new challenge: rain.
The South Fork and Salt fires, which burned through approximately 25,000 acres, destroyed 1,400 structures, and claimed two lives, were followed by monsoons that washed over the burned areas. In July, heavy rains caused flooding, trapping people in vehicles and homes. As recently as August 7, the Ruidoso Police Department ordered evacuations of the Cherokee Mobile Village due to flash flooding.
In this harsh cycle of crisis and recovery, Herrera views mutual aid as more than just a tactical response; he sees it as a vital investment.
“Building goodwill with the community is akin to cultivating fertile ground for growth and success,” he said. “I strongly feel it strengthens the bond between us and our community.”
With the wet season expected to continue through September, Ruidoso’s future remains uncertain. However, one thing is clear: the WSTF Fire Department will always be ready to respond when called upon.
