Firefighters are gaining the upper hand against a blaze near Ruidoso.The fire sparked Monday afternoon on Moon Mountain in Lincoln County. The fire has burned about 125 acres and is about 60 percent contained.Crews have created several containment lines and have kept the fire from spreading. Officials are now watching hot spots in an attempt to prevent the fire from getting out of control again.According to Ruidoso Fire Chief Harlan Vincent, the fire was difficult to fight because tanker trucks couldn't get to fire lines.Hotshots, specially trained firefighters, had to make grueling hikes to battle the flames.Ruidoso High School and middle schools were closed Tuesday and Wednesday. The Boys and Girls Club took in approximately 35 children on Tuesday because classes were canceled.Precautionary evacuation alerts were issued to homeowners along Warrior, Meander and Gavilan Canyon.Another fire was detected Tuesday morning about 15 miles southwest of Moon Mountain on the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation near Miserable Springs. An air tanker was requested to help suppress it, and officials said it's under control.A small fire erupted Tuesday afternoon near Swiss Chalet Hill in Ruidoso. Highway 48 was closed down as crews got the fire under control. It burned only a few acres.The fire comes nearly four years after the Little Bear Fire, which decimated over 44,000 acres of forest outside Ruidoso and destroyed hundreds of buildings.The cause of the Moon Mountain fire is still being investigated.Action 7 News will provide updates as they become available. 9294662

Firefighters are gaining the upper hand against a blaze near Ruidoso.


The fire sparked Monday afternoon on Moon Mountain in Lincoln County. The fire has burned about 125 acres and is about 60 percent contained.



Crews have created several containment lines and have kept the fire from spreading. Officials are now watching hot spots in an attempt to prevent the fire from getting out of control again.

According to Ruidoso Fire Chief Harlan Vincent, the fire was difficult to fight because tanker trucks couldn't get to fire lines.

Hotshots, specially trained firefighters, had to make grueling hikes to battle the flames.

Ruidoso High School and middle schools were closed Tuesday and Wednesday. The Boys and Girls Club took in approximately 35 children on Tuesday because classes were canceled.

Precautionary evacuation alerts were issued to homeowners along Warrior, Meander and Gavilan Canyon.

Another fire was detected Tuesday morning about 15 miles southwest of Moon Mountain on the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation near Miserable Springs. An air tanker was requested to help suppress it, and officials said it's under control.

A small fire erupted Tuesday afternoon near Swiss Chalet Hill in Ruidoso. Highway 48 was closed down as crews got the fire under control. It burned only a few acres.

The fire comes nearly four years after the Little Bear Fire, which decimated over 44,000 acres of forest outside Ruidoso and destroyed hundreds of buildings.

The cause of the Moon Mountain fire is still being investigated.

Action 7 News will provide updates as they become available.



