Things continue to improve in the Ruidoso area following the two devastating fires earlier this month. Police have now confirmed that they have now located everyone who was feared missing. The fires are largely contained and rains continue to dampen the area. Stories of kind gestures in the aftermath of the fire are starting to surface.
There was one story about a guy who had stayed during the fire and was checking on neighbors’ homes and feeding flocks of chickens while the owners were awaiting word that they could return to the village.
My own barber in Las Cruces took a day off and volunteered his heavy duty pickup truck and trailer to haul supplies from distribution centers in Mescalero and at the Inn of the Mountain Gods to various locations in Ruidoso.
“I heard what was going on and just wanted to do something to help,” he said. “I saw on social media that there was a call for large pickup trucks and trailers to haul needed supplies to residents and first responders. When I got to Ruidoso, there was a lot of confusion about where to go and what to load up and miscommunication between agencies, but we got it worked out and got things delivered.”
And police said that despite rumors and fears, there has been no evidence of looting in the area after the fire.
Well, except for one case. It seems that one man who somehow missed or defied the orders to evacuate the town on June 17 was wandering around and looking for someplace he could stay protected from the fire.
He stumbled upon a deserted house and went inside for shelter. He not only found a safe place to be during the fire, but also discovered the owners had left a case of wine in the house.
The man, who police described only as a “Texan,” managed to drink most of the 12 bottles of wine in the case — likely justifying it as helping him ease the fear of being left alone and surrounded by fire.
State Police were able to identify the suspect, capture him and charge him with “tresspass… and larceny” of items valued at $250 or less. That works out to be a little over $20 per bottle of wine, which in my experience as a low-budget oenophile sounded like pretty good stuff. I confess to have sampled some bottles of “Two Buck Chuck” from Trader Joe’s and described it to friends with the less than enthusiastic recommendation of “not that bad.” Hopefully the “Texan” found a little more enjoyment in what he sampled.
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