Residents showing frustrations due to Ruidoso wildfires

RUIDOSO (New Mexico) -- Phone and internet reception has been an issue in and around Ruidoso in recent days as wildfires continue to rage nearby.

Most of Ruidoso's surrounding areas have poor connectivity for those seeking to communicate with their family or get status updates on both the South Fork Fire and Salt Fire.

People have had to go to other towns close to Ruidoso or to the side roads to find reception and update their family members about the current situation.

ABC-7 spoke with Michael Scales, member of the Lincoln County Office of Emergency Services, who said first responders, emergency teams, and law enforcement have been using a 75-foot-tall portable communications tower to communicate.

Authorities deploy it when they lose communications or repeater sites for any reason.

"We've had a couple of blips with our communications and it has caused us some grief. But at the moment, we have not lost any major communications between our officers and the fire services."

Public safety has recently become a major concern for New Mexico authorities due to the wildfires and flash flood warnings.

ABC-7 spoke with other New Mexico residents at Angus, New Mexico who said they'd been worried about their properties' status. With roads blocked by state law enforcement, this is causing them another frustration.

Thursday night, a public meeting was held where Lincoln County asked the community to be patient because they need to secure, work, and restore all services in Ruidoso.

Local, state, and federal authorities keep patrolling and securing Ruidoso and its surroundings.