Santa Fe Standard

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMHealth) is urging residents to consider air quality safety and wildfire preparation this week in response to wildfires in the state, particularly in Lincoln and Otero County areas, including the Village of Ruidoso and the lands of the Mescalero Apache Tribe.

“Breathing in smoke can aggravate conditions such as asthma and other chronic lung diseases, as well as cardiovascular disease,” said Heidi Krapfl, Acting Director, Center for Health Protection for NMHealth. “Poor air quality can also create unsafe driving conditions in areas directly impacted by the fires.”

The Village of Ruidoso reports that evacuation orders remain in effect for Chatto Bluff, Apache Summit, Fantasy Lane, homes along Highway 70 from Highway 244 to the east Reservation line, Bear Canyon, and Snow Canyon.

With distance from wildfires comes the ability for people to better protect themselves and their health as it is affected by smoke. Even if you cannot smell the smoke or it does not smell too bad, that does not mean the air quality is safe. Here are a few quick tips:

For more information on fire, smoke, and health, visit NMHealth’s Environmental Health Tracking page. For additional information about this press release, contact David Barre at (505) 699-9237 (Office).

In an effort to make our press releases more accessible, a Spanish version is also available. Please click the link below to access the translation: El Departamento de Salud emite consejos sobre la calidad del aire durante los incendios forestales en todo el estado.