Town draws a breath

But fire still grows, and homes may take two years to rebuild

LOS ALAMOS, N.M. — The owners of 196 homes destroyed or damaged in this week's fires can expect to wait up to two years to rebuild, authorities said here yesterday.

And the 18,000 people who evacuated in the fire's face can expect to wait at least a week before making more than a brief visit to their homes, officials said.

Authorities made and then canceled plans to start escorting residents to their homes as early as this morning, out of concern that downed or otherwise damaged power lines could give off fire-generating embers.

But officials yesterday got their first dose of good news about the fire for several days, in the form of cooler, moister air and lighter winds. While the blaze itself continued to grow — from 19,000 acres Thursday morning to 32,000 late yesterday — officials said the threat to additional homes was minor unless the erratic winds kicked up again.

More than 1,400 firefighters from all over the West have battled the blaze, at a cost of $3 million to the federal government. Authorities said they expect the cost to grow to $6 million by the time the fire is over. So far, officials have not contained any of the fire and are unwilling to predict how long it will take to bring it under control.

The fire was no longer centered on the town of Los Alamos, although 3,500 to 4,000 acres was burning at the neighboring Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Instead, the blaze was continuing to stay out of control and scorching national forests north, west and northeast of the town and laboratory. It also was edging north toward the Santa Clara Indian pueblo, whose officials feared the fire would damage historically significant cliff dwellings and burn out a canyon that is vital to the Indians' economy and culture.

"We're feeling real good about fire control in residential areas, but we're not safe yet because the fire is still in the canyons and could flare up and go back into homes," Los Alamos County Administrator Joe King said.

"For rebuilding, we're talking two years, if your structure is completely burned up," King said. "You've got to go through the formal stuff — insurance, FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which handles disaster relief).

You've got to take advantage of that and decide what to build and then build it."

Amanda Hoberling and her brother, Bob, of Los Alamos found out that their rental home had been destroyed at 11 a.m., yesterday, from a family friend who told them they saw on television the home's chimney sitting on the ground. At first, Bob Hoberling shrugged off the loss, saying, "It's just stuff. It was a rental."

His sister replied, "But it's all the stuff we had."

Right now, the two are staying at a family home in Angel First, near Taos, but said they have no immediate hopes of finding another permanent home because they have no insurance. Bob Hoberling said a friend had offered to sell him a 30-foot trailer to live in for $1,000.

"I'm angry at the federal government," for setting off the controlled burn in Bandelier National Monument late last week that erupted out of control this week, Bob Hoberling said. "Everyone knew it was too dry to burn. They should have taken care of the problems with the forest buildup sooner. The fire signs were very high."

Dick and Judy Opsahl learned via radio yesterday afternoon that their house was in trouble when an announcer read the entire list of damaged homes over the air. As of late yesterday, the couple didn't know if their house remained standing. "But I kind of suspect it's a wipeout," because the house lay on Los Alamos' western edge, so close to the pine trees where the fire raced out of the national forest.

On evacuating Wednesday, they managed to retrieve some important papers, their computer, some clothing and "our few family treasures," Dick Opsahl said.

He said that he is fairly well insured, however, and isn't angry at the government for the fire.

"They have to do these burns. They probably could have had more caution and had more people standing by in case of a problem," Opsahl said.

Yesterday, the streets of Los Alamos clearly showed the randomness of the fire's assault.

Although the damage was concentrated on the town's edges adjoining the forest, the fire had wiped out entire blocks of homes, then skipped entire blocks adjoining the damaged blocks.

Front yards bore twisted hulks of metal from plumbing fixtures. Smoke was still curling into the air. Cars stood ashen-colored, their tires gone and their engines totaled. Many of the houses were shells, their interiors gutted, their walls eaten away.

Other homes were burned to their foundations, with nothing but ashes and singed pine needles remaining above ground.

For the most part, the houses had been expensive, befitting a county where family income regularly ranks first or very high nationally. A single, 920-square-foot unit in a quad rental complex costs $85,000 to $100,000.

Duplex units cost $100,000 to $150,000, while many single-family homes cost $200,000 to $300,000.

"They're pricey — it's a way-overpriced real estate market here," said Los Alamos Police Sgt. Kevin Portsman.

With the streets largely deserted, "It's kind of like a Sunday here, except for all the fire trucks going around," said Portsman, who escorted reporters around the city.

Portsman choked up when asked for his reaction to the gutted homes.

"We had one of our friends lose his house — a guy I went with to the (police) academy," he said. "People I know on another street lost their house. It's tough. I'm glad I'm not one who got hurt, but it leaves you with a sick feeling."

Phtots by David Sanders/Staff: Sympathy and a human touch are things Sara Olson, left, needs desperately. Her home was destroyed, and Catherine Scarberry and her son, Byan, 6, are trying to soften the blow. The Scarberry's home survived.

Jeremy Nelson of Flagstaff smothers hot spots in Pueblo Canyon, where many of the homes burned. Some firefighters had to throw down their hoses and flee as the fire came on ''like a freight train," said one battalion chief.

Said Ed Pullian, a fire battalion chief: ''We didn't have a chance. We kept retreating, retreating, retreating and kept getting overrun." But yesterday brought a ration of good news as well: ''I can say with a high degree of confidence that we will not have more structures burned in Los Alamos or White Rock," said Doug MacDonald, the Los Alamos fire chief.

AP/Staff Map