In Los Alamos, Shelter From Life’s Storms

LOS ALAMOS, N.M. — Families whose homes were destroyed by wildfire last month began moving into temporary homes Tuesday.

In a barren lot on the north side of Los Alamos, 43 of a planned 114 mobile homes were ready for tenants Tuesday. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom units are furnished with kitchen tables, a sofa and mattresses.

A fire that was set May 4 at nearby Bandelier National Monument to clear brush quickly raged out of control. By May 10, the blaze had spread into Los Alamos, forcing the evacuation of more than 20,000 people from the town where the atomic bomb was built. More than 200 homes were destroyed.

Families who lost their homes can stay in the mobile homes for up to 18 months or until they find permanent housing, said Federal Emergency Management Agency spokeswoman Pam Johnson. Priority is given to the disabled, elderly and families with children.

Catherine Nelson, whose house was destroyed in the fire, was one of the first to be given keys to a mobile home.

“I don’t have anything around to make this my own home,” she said. “It’s not my stuff. That’s the hard part.”

Bob Staub was worried about where he, his wife and four daughters will live after the 18-month deadline. Staub said the high cost of living in Los Alamos and the effects of the fire will make finding another place to rent extremely difficult and building a new home almost impossible.

“It wasn’t the rich side of town that burned,” Staub said. “It was the affordable housing for the average workers out here.”

Staub said his new home will never be like the house that burned, but he’s thankful to have a roof over his head.

“Everything in that house was earned, but this place is a blessing,” he said.