Brothers, friends stranded amid South Fork and Salt fires, flash floods
By Faith Egbuonu
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RUIDOSO, New Mexico (KOAT) — Anthony Rogers, his brother Johnny Rogers and their friend Jacob Ratliff spoke with KOAT near Highway 70 on the outskirts of Ruidoso, New Mexico, on Thursday, June 20, amid the South Fork and Salt Fires.
All three told KOAT that they were leaning on each other’s strength during tough times. According to the National Guard and state police, Highway 70 into Ruidoso will be blocked off until further notice. Evacuees are asked to not return until it is safe to do so.
“We saw it kept getting worse and worse. It was behind our coworker’s house. Everyone started leaving, like, ‘Let’s go home and get everything packed up and get out of there.’ His house ended up burning down,” Anthony Rogers told KOAT.
“It’s sad especially because I was born here, knowing that my home that I’ve seen all of my life could be changed and never the same. Especially because me and him [Anthony] have been going to school here our entire childhood. So, it’s real sentimental to us — to this town,” Robert Ratliff said.
Ratliff and Rogers [Anthony and Johnny] were able to brave the floodwaters through the Ruidoso area on Wednesday, June 19, but eventually they had to leave.
“Thankfully, Jacob let us stay at his place [at the time], and then we had the flooding. It’s tough,” Rogers said.
“There was a flash flood warning, and no one really thought much of it because of the fire, like ‘how bad could it be compared to the fire that we’re having,'” Ratliff said. “I’d say maybe 30 or 40 minutes go by of raining, and all of a sudden, we go out and check the river, and the only road we have to mainland is blocked off. We had to hurry out really quick and a sheriff came and helped us.”
“The bridge is about 8 or 9 feet tall above the river, and it was at that line. It was pretty terrifying,” Rogers said. “There’s really nothing we can do. We’re praying for the best.”
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