National Guard deploys soldiers and airmen from Rio Rancho to Trout Fire

RIO RANCHO — The New Mexico National Guard, including two members from Rio Rancho, continued to assist first responders in battling the Trout Fire, which had burned over 47,000 acres as of Tuesday.

Soldiers and airmen, deployed June 17, joined what is now approximately 60 National Guard members in evacuating residents, monitoring traffic checkpoints and delivering 60 pallets of sandbags to the Gila National Forest, near Silver City, where the fire is located. The National Guard members picked up an additional 1,600 sandbags from the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility in Las Cruces on Monday.

“The New Mexico National Guard remains committed to using all its capabilities to protect our fellow New Mexicans during these emergencies,” wrote National Guard Public Affairs Specialist Douglas Mallary in an email to the Observer.

Western New Mexico University in Silver City announced in a news release Tuesday it opened up its residence halls to New Mexico National Guard members, law enforcement and campus community members who were displaced by the fire.

WNMU Provost and Acting President Jack Crocker said in a prepared statement the university is “extremely glad to be able to provide support” to the “police and military members engaged in protecting the region and combating the spreading destruction.”

The National Guard members, which includes two soldiers from Rio Rancho assigned to the 111th Sustainment Brigade, are only responsible for the Trout Fire, which as of Monday was 22% contained , and not the Buck Fire, near Aragon, which was 88% contained.

The National Guard deployment comes in response to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s emergency declaration, which secured $750,000 in grants to assist with battling the fire.

Mallary added that all personnel will be prepared for any follow-up missions in connection to the Trout Fire.