Former Ruidoso police chief loses home to Little Bear Fire

He spent the day warning people to evacuate in the Wolf Creek subdivision of Loma Grande after burning tentacles from the Little Bear Fire returned Saturday to threaten the development off New Mexico 37. But by 4:30 p.m., former Ruidoso Police Chief Wolfgang Born, who works for the U.S. Forest Service, saw the new home he recently finished building in Wolf Creek go up in flames. "Six of the 12 homes in our subdivision are gone," he said. Born was patrolling and evacuating everyone in the subdivision Saturday. With three people left, he heard on his radio that the fire jumped NM 37. "I knew Bonito Lake Road already was hit. The fire spotter in the tower said the fire was in the canyon east of the mountain by my house," Born said. "It was saved Friday, but the fire was on its way there again. "I tried to go back to the house one more time, but as I came around the corner, I saw the flames flickering right behind the house. I turned around and headed out. Out the back window I could see nearly the whole area was gone."...more