Residents flee New Mexican village as wildfires bear down on homes

Residents of the mountain village of about 7,000 residents fled their homes under evacuation orders with little time to rescue belongings (Jacquie Escajeda/AP)

Residents of the mountain village of Ruidoso in southern New Mexico fled their homes under evacuation orders with little time to rescue belongings as fast-moving wildfires bore down on the village of 7,000 residents.

Traffic clogged downtown streets of the normally pastoral village and summer vacation destination for hours on Monday as smoke darkened the evening sky and 30m-high flames climbed a ridgeline.