Ruidoso Wildfire Restoration Efforts & Resources

Our thoughts go out to our neighbors, employees, and friends who live and work in the areas that have been impacted by the South Fork and Salt wildfires. PNM deenergized power at the request of first responders to assist them in fighting the fire. Our crews are working alongside crews from across the region to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. As a result of the fire, there was significant damage to the electrical equipment, including nearly 1500 power poles that were damaged or destroyed. More than 20 crews are joining PNM to aid restorations. Partnerships from across all utilities is critical to helping our customers get their power restored. Please monitor this page. We will provide updates on the restoration activities and resources to help you and yours.

Latest Update

PNM linemen, along with assisting crews from other utilities, continue to work to restore power to all of our customers in the Ruidoso area.  At its peak, 4,104 of the 18,940 customer homes and businesses were without power. Crews were able to restore another 244 customers Thursday night. As of Friday morning, there were approximately 570 customers still without power. PNM crews won't stop working until electricity is restored to every customer. 

Visit the PNM Outage Map

Outage Map

PNM's outage map is a feature rich, mobile-friendly experience. Designed with you, our customer, in mind, the map is updated every 10 minutes and it is easy to use on your mobile phone or computer to quickly zoom to your area to learn more about an outage and find your estimated restore time.

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In The News

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PNM Wildfire Relief Efforts Transition to Power Restoration Download
PNM promotes contributions to New Mexico wildfire relief funds Download

Customer Resources

Have you been impacted by the Ruidoso/Mescalero wildfire? Below are resources that can help you get information you need.

Title Link
PNM Contact Information
PNM is available to answer your questions, contact us at (888) DIAL-PNM (1-888-342-5766), Hours: Weekdays, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., the best time to call: Tues. - Thurs. 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Contact PNM
PNM Reconnection Leaflet
Letter from PNM with helpful guidelines should your home or business be without power.
Download
PNM Reconnection Leaflet in Spanish
Letter from PNM with helpful guidelines should your home or business be without power.
Download
PNM Reconnection Request
Customers affected by the fires in the Ruidoso/Mescalero areas can submit a request to restore their power here.
Submit Request
Village of Ruidoso Updates
Municipal Website of the Village of Ruidoso, NM
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Facebook Group: Reunite Ruidoso Visit Now
Facebook Group: Reunite Ruidoso Pets Visit Now
New Mexico state wildfire dashboard
Latest news and updates on New Mexico wildfires.
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Displacement Assistance
Fire Hotline at 1-833-663-4736
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FEMA mobile products
The FEMA app allows you to receive real-time weather alerts, locate emergency shelters in your area, prepare for common hazards and more.
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Ready.gov
Know what disasters and hazards could affect your area, how to get emergency alerts, and where you would go if you and your family need to evacuate. Make sure your family has a plan and practices it often.
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Watch Duty - Wildfire Maps & Alerts
Watch Duty alerts you of nearby wildfires and firefighting efforts in real-time.
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Disaster Assistance
Do you need help after a disaster? Get help applying for FEMA disaster assistance and guidance to other resources to help you recover.
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New Mexico Governor's Office
Updated with the latest wildfire news.
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New Mexico Workforce Solutions Disaster Unemployment Assistance
Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is a federal program that provides financial assistance to jobless workers and the self-employed when they are unemployed as a direct result of a major natural disaster.
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Frequently Asked Questions

When will power be restored to my home or business?

PNM has started restoration work in areas where the South Fork and Salt wildfires have destroyed much of the existing electrical equipment, including wires, poles and distribution lines that power many of the local communities' homes and businesses. Estimated restore times will vary based on your location and the extent of the damage in the area.

We understand your need to get back into these communities and are working with urgency to repair, and in some cases rebuild, our power grid.

For the latest information on the power restoration times, visit PNM.com/outagemap or text ALERT to #78766.

As PNM begins restoration efforts, the community should be aware that intermittent outages may be required in order to restore power to the electric grid. We will do our best to minimize impacts to our customers.

Who is working on the power restoration efforts - I see people without PNM logos working in my area?

We are grateful for the help of our neighboring utilities who are providing crews, equipment and materials to aid in the restoration efforts. More than 20 crews will be assisting PNM from across the region. These partnerships are critical to helping our customers get their power restored.

Our crews, and those from other utilities, are committed to working as safely as possible while getting every household reconnected.

How will PNM notify me about the power restoration process and estimated restore time?

For the latest information on the power outages, customers can visit PNM.com/outagemap or text ALERT to #78766. As PNM begins restoration efforts, the community should be aware that intermittent outages may be required in order to restore power to the electric grid.

Will I continue to receive a bill from PNM even though I currently have no power or can't return home?

PNM proactively stopped issuing bills for residents impacted by these wildfires in response to the evacuations in the Village. Additionally, we have removed potential delinquencies, late fees and other assessments associated with those bills.

If your home or business is without power, but there is no visible structural or electrical damage:

PNM crews will automatically restore power as quickly as possible and no action is required on the home or business owner's part.

If your home or business is without power, and there is visible structural or electrical damage:

The home or business owner must contact a licensed electrician to assess and repair the damage.

Once the electrician submits a pre-final permit for reconnection to PNM at https://pnmnsd.powerclerk.com/ we will immediately process this request.

In the event that the structure also had a solar system, energy storage, or other renewable energy generator installed that was damaged:

The home or business owner must contact a licensed solar installation company to assess and repair the damage.

The solar installation company will need to submit an application for interconnection to PNM at https://pnminterconnect.powerclerk.com

In all instances where electrical work is performed:

The State of New Mexico certified inspectors will be required to inspect the work performed and will issue an approved permit to enable reconnection.

Once inspected and approved, PNM will reconnect the residence or business as quickly as possible.

I lost my home in the fire. What should I do about my PNM account?

During this difficult time, we have sent PNM engineers to actively assess field conditions and report losses to PNM office personnel. In the event that significant damage was sustained at the residence or business, PNM will automatically suspend billing and service to ensure no further bills are generated at that address but your account will remain open for any support you may need through the process of rebuilding. If you would like to elect to stop service immediately, please call our Contact Center at 1-888-342-5766. You can verify the status of your service by logging into PNM.com.

I plan to repair/rebuild my home. What do I need to do for PNM to restore my power?

Please refer to the Upgrade or Get New Electric Service section at PNM.com/esg.

Medical Devices

If you depend on life-saving medical devices, you are encouraged to immediately engage your emergency plan as PNM cannot ensure uninterrupted power supply at this time.

What assistance is PNM providing to wildfire victims?

PNM and the PNM Resources Foundation have donated $35,000 to funds dedicated to helping with immediate and long-term restoration efforts in Ruidoso, the Mescalero Apache Tribe and the surrounding communities. We are working to support our customers through safe restoration of power.

How can I support the crews working in Ruidoso?

Our crews will be there until the very last customer has power restored.

Please show our crews patience as they work 16+ hour shifts to safely restore the greatest number of customers as fast as possible. We have partnered with Ruidoso and the state of New Mexico to restore power to critical functions for the impacted communities, such as water stations, to make it possible for local residents to safely return. Although the crews are working as quickly and safely as possible, restoration timeframes may vary throughout the Village of Ruidoso due to the severity of damage caused by the wildfires.

While our crews appreciation meeting local community members, we would ask that residents and visitors please try to not approach crews while they are working on power restoration efforts. It's critical that the power crews focus on their work uninterrupted and as safely as possible. If approached, you could unintentionally cause a safety hazard for both yourself and our crews.

Spread your appreciation for these crews on our @PNMelectric on Facebook page where we will post images and stories of crews working to restore Ruidoso.

How can I get additional help from PNM?

We are here to help. We are staffing our Ruidoso Payment Center with project managers and service coordinators to support our customers - location at 1100 A Mechem Drive, Ruidoso, NM 88345. Our Live Chat is available at PNM.com. Customer service representatives are available at 1-888-DIAL-PNM.

Additional Outage Resources

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Outage Alerts

Outage Alerts are a convenient way for you to receive the latest updates in the event of a power outage, plus it is free and simple to sign up. We will let you know when a power outage is affecting your home or business, when power is expected to be restored, and when power is restored.

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Stay Safe During a Power Outage

Staying Safe

PNM's dedicated outage safety page has everything you need to get prepared. Learn how to prepare an emergency prepardness kit, what to do during an outage and what to do after your power has been restored.

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Visit the PNM Outage Center

Outage Center

PNM's Outage Center has links to the resources you might need during an outage. The outage map allows you to view details about your outage, you can report an outage or a streetlight out, get tips for staying safe, and find out why power outages may occur.

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PNM

Who to Contact

Contact PNM

PNM is available to answer your questions, contact us at (888) DIAL-PNM (1-888-342-5766), Hours: Weekdays, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., the best time to call: Tues. - Thurs. 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Contact PNM

Would you like to donate to relief efforts?