Saturday Ruidoso fire could have been worse

From the Ruidoso News - Firefighters responded to a fire north of Ruidoso Saturday and held it to about a third of an acre. "We were lucky on this one," incident commander and Bonito Volunteer Fire Department Deputy Chief Rick Hall said. "It could have been much worse." Hall said winds were calm Saturday. A Bonito Volunteer firefighter thinning trees on a lot nearby spotted the smoke and sounded the alarm at 2:45 p.m., according to the Bonito Volunteer Fire Department. A neighbor also spotted the fire and used a garden hose to help contain the blaze. One Bonito Volunteer Fire Department unit with five personnel, three U.S. Forest Service engines with 12 personnel, a Ruidoso Fire Department engine and crew and a Lincoln County Sheriff's deputy responded to the fire and had it contained by about 4:15 p.m. Crews returned Sunday to insure the embers were completely extinguished. A homeowner burning slash piles caused the fire, which was reportedly moving into heavy timber and underbrush with downed logs and moving up trees when firefighters arrived. The Bonito Fire Department reported the homeowner had notified the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department of the slash pile burning Friday and thought the remains were OK to leave until Saturday. Read more

Saturday Ruidoso fire could have been worse