"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."

Flash flooding hit Ruidoso, New Mexico, and caused widespread damage and claimed the lives for three people. As flash flooding began, Jesus Figueroa, a viewer of sister station KOAT, filmed a wall of water flowing down the Rio Ruidoso as the flash flood began.