Summary

Ruidoso is exemplary in many ways in its community response to the wildfire threat. Perhaps the biggest accomplishment for Ruidoso has been its own municipal program. Ruidoso had political support and foresight to hire an urban forester who conducts a village-wide hazardous fuels reduction program, pass village-wide ordinances to support widespread hazardous fuel reduction, and impose building codes to reduce future wildfire risks. In addition to these impressive municipal achievements, a more comprehensive response to the wildfire threat in Ruidoso is conducted through the Ruidoso Wildland Urban Interface Group (RWUIG), also coordinated by the Urban Forester, Rick DeIaco. Ruidoso's continuing progress in fuels reduction around interface areas highlights the collaboration and cooperation of RWUIG members.

The education and outreach efforts headed by the Village Emergency Management are an additional strength for Ruidoso. The village has used a wide variety of tools and techniques to reach its people including brochures, videos, one-on-one meetings, Neighborhood Fire Watch, a reverse 911 dialing system and event driven strategies targeted to non-resident populations. The Village Emergency Management Team has successfully used grants to fund their education program which allows them to pursue a variety of creative and unique strategies.

Ruidoso's biggest remaining challenge is restoration and utilization. While the village is making good progress on their fuels reduction goals, restoration remains in the background. Without restoring the ponderosa pine forests to a regular fire regime, the cycle of unhealthy forests will continue to perpetuate.

Another challenge for Ruidoso is utilization of small diameter timber (SDT). Although Ruidoso is supportive of the small businesses currently trying to make a living in this challenging industry, these businesses are struggling at best. Ruidoso will undoubtedly have fuels reduction projects for years to come. Developing a viable SDT industry is critical for continued progress in addressing the wildfire threat.

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