Second death reported in New Mexico wildfires; more fires expected

A second death was reported on Wednesday in two wildfires in New Mexico that forced the evacuation of thousands of people in and around the city of Ruidoso and destroyed about 1,400 buildings.

Both bodies were found Tuesday, a day after the fires broke out and spread rapidly, said New Mexico State Police spokesman Wilson Silver.

One person was found in a burned-out vehicle in the South Fork Fire in the village of Ruidoso, which was ordered evacuated Monday, Wilson said. The person’s identity has not been determined.

The body of the second person, Patrick Pearson, 60, was found with burns from the fire on the side of the road near the Swiss Chalet Motel, Wilson said.

In light of the South Fork Fire and the Salt Fire, both of which broke out on the Mescalero Apache Reservation on Monday morning, approximately 8,000 people in and around Ruidoso were ordered to evacuate.

The fires have destroyed about 1,400 homes and other structures and are expected to spread even further Wednesday, the New Mexico Forestry Service said. The South Fork Fire has burned an estimated 16,335 acres and the Salt Fire has burned an estimated 7,071 acres, the state Forestry Service said in an update Wednesday.

Both fires were contained to 0%.

The South Fork Fire is burning in Ruidoso and beyond to the west and north, according to state Forest Service fire maps, while the Salt Fire is raging south of the town of about 7,500 residents. An attack on the Salt Fork Fire forced the evacuation of the Ruidoso Downs community on Tuesday, officials said.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham declared the wildfires a crisis and declared a state of emergency that would allow for more comprehensive aid. She promised to use all necessary resources and also sent members of the National Guard to help.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com.