Around 2 p.m. meteorologists and local officials urged the public to seek higher ground in Ruidoso and the Mescalero Apache Reservation. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the South Fork Fire burn scar until 4 p.m., saying slow-moving thunderstorms had formed over the area.

The village of Ruidoso is located in the southern part of New Mexico and is a noted vacation spot boasting camping and recreation amid its expansive forest landscape. World Population Review notes the village rose to a total of 7,600 in 2025. That was a decrease of the population by less than 1% in recent years.