"The main reason was the South Fork Fire last year that burned directly west of Ruidoso," Grzywacz said. "The soil wasn't able to absorb any of the rainfall, and it runs right down into Ruidoso. Normally, if you had that vegetation still there, it could absorb it. For the Ruidoso monsoon season, it was above average rain but not record rainfall."

RUIDOSO – Days after the most destructive flood in Ruidoso’s history, New Mexico’s U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Lujan were given a tour of the worst-affected areas, from the Upper Canyon to Ruidoso Downs Racetrack.

The deadly flooding earlier this week forced the Ruidoso Downs racetrack to move its horses to Albuquerque for a second year in a row.

As residents and businesspeople in Ruidoso assess the damage caused by heavy and dangerous flooding, others can find ways to help. Here is what to know.

Parts of New Mexico have experienced unprecedented and deadly flash flooding over the last few days, causing major damage. At least three people, including two children, were killed in Ruidoso.

The two children were identified as Charlotte Trotter, 4, and Sebastian Trotter, 7, according to their aunt Tiffanie Wyatt. She said their father, Sebastian Trotter, a solder based at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, and their mother, Stephanie, both suffered serious injuries but survived and were receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Texas.

While Ruidoso recovers from flash flooding, one of Albuquerque’s biggest animal adoption groups is stepping in to help Lincoln County’s overwhelmed animal shelter.