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CNN Live Today

Worst Appears to Be Over for Fire-Ravaged Upscale Community in New Mexico

Aired March 25, 2002 - 11:18   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the worst appears to be over for an upscale community in New Mexico that was partially leveled by a ferocious firestorm over the weekend.

CNN's Brian Cabell is monitoring that for us and filed this report just a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Firefighters and support crews are busy again this morning trying to put down the Kokopelli fire. It looks as though it is winding down though. The Kokopelli fire of course, the one that destroyed a number of homes. The good news is that the evacuees from that subdivision are returning to their homes in just about an hour. What they are going to find there is not going to be a pretty picture.

DAN OLTROGGE, NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE: Well, some of them are going to find they have lost their homes. Most of them are going to be happy I think, because the majority of the homes were saved.

CABELL: Flames? Are there still flames out there or just hot spots?

OGTROGGE: Just hot spots. I was out there most of the day yesterday and did not see any open flame.

CABELL: All told, the Kokopelli fire has destroyed some 823 acres, 28 homes, 1 barn. One estimate puts the damage at about $5 million.

Now, there are a few other fires in this area. Look behind me here. You can see what looks like mist. That's actually smoke at the base of the mountains. That is the Hondo Valley fire; 12,000 acres burned there. That's the biggest fire in New Mexico currently. No structures threatened at this point. No one injured at all in any of these fires, no serious injuries in any case.

Also a couple of smaller fires at the Mescalero Indian Reservation, but again good news here, there is very little wind today. It may top out around 15 miles per hour. That will help the firefighters get a handle on all these fires.

I am Brian Cabell, CNN in Ruidoso, New Mexico.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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