County prepares for flash flooding

RUIDOSO, N.M. (KRQE) - From fire to flooding, Lincoln County is in emergency mode. The Little Bear fire has created a very dangerous situation, and with the impending monsoon season, everyone is trying to prevent another disaster.

Everyone is still processing the massive damage from the Little Bear Fire, but they have to focus on stopping another disaster.

"This is a disaster in slow motion, it is going to happen," explained Ruidoso Utilities Director, Randall Camp. "Our job is to lessen the impacts of it when it does, and have plans in place for when it does."

Firefighters, National Guard, and volunteers started bagging sand last week to use as dams. Workers are clearing channels where they anticipate water-flow.

Part of what crews are doing to prepare is to clear out brush and debris in areas like Eagle Creek. That way when the water does come, it doesn't take with it all of the debris into homes and roads surrounding the area.

Part of the problem, Camp explained, is that the fire burned through much of the Lincoln County water shed. The land is dry, and vegetation is gone from the top of the mountain.

If there is rain, it could be a landslide of water, mud and ash.

"We're seeing a 10 to 20 fold increase in the amount of runoff from a rainfall event, over pre-fire conditions," said Camp.

If the burn scar received an inch-and-a-half of rain in an hour, it would be a flash flood disaster.

"All of these water sheds run into the Rio Hondo, and the people there have been through many floods," said Camp. "They're going to see floods like they've never seen before this year."

But, it's a county-wide effort to clear water channels, strip vegetation, fine-tune emergency response and evacuation plans, while working to save water sources.

"My staff is working with the county, the National Guard, we're working with FEMA, Homeland Security, the Forest Service," said Camp. "I don't think there's a department we're not working with. These streams will act totally different than anyone has seen that's alive today, I guarantee you that."

He said an area-wide storm could be worse than the 2008 flood in Ruidoso. It damaged dozens of homes, trapped hundreds, and killed one man.

Those who live downstream in the Hondo Valley, and along streams are on high alert for floods this year. Camp warns residents to watch the streams, be aware of flash flooding, and not to try and cross flood waters.

"The game has changed," said Camp. "This forest is going to act differently to us, it's going to treat us rather harshly this monsoon, for probably the next five years, until we start seeing some re-vegetation."

Officials also want to warn people if they don't already have it, to get flood insurance. That takes 30 days to become effective.

They also want people to sign up for county and village emergency alert systems.