Smoke plumes from the South Fork Fire rise above the tree line as the fire progresses from the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation to the Lincoln National Forest causing mandatory evacuations in Ruidoso, New Mexico, US. June 17. Photo: REUTERS/Kaylee Greenlee Beal
Two people have died in wildfires in southern New Mexico that have burned around 500 homes and triggered the evacuation of about 8,000 residents from the mountain resort community of Ruidoso.
The unidentified skeletal remains of a person were found in the driver’s seat of a burned out car, New Mexico State Police reported on Wednesday. Another victim was identified as 60-year-old Patrick Pearson.
