Thousands of residents fled a mountainous village in southern New Mexico as a wind-driven wildfire ravaged homes and buildings, killing at least one person.

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham declared a state of emergency for Ruidoso and nearby tribal lands, deploying National Guard troops and expecting a top-level fire management team to take over Wednesday.

Winds continue to pose challenges for firefighting efforts.

Christy Hood, a local real estate agent, recounted the rapid evacuation, saying she and her family barely had time to grab essentials before flames surrounded them, turning a 15-minute drive out of town into a two-hour ordeal.

Hood described the scene as apocalyptic, with an orange sky and falling sparks, the Associated Press has reported.

Over 500 structures have been damaged or destroyed, though the exact number of homes affected remains unclear.

A flyover was planned for Tuesday night to provide more accurate damage assessment.

Written by B.C. Begley