Evacuee options grow as Los Alamos fire spreads

Relief efforts are picking up as wildfires continue to blaze in Los Alamos and beyond.

The Food Depot in Santa Fe is encouraging donations of bottled water, dried food and personal care items like toothpaste and shampoo. Located at 1222 Siler Road, the Food Depot is also willing to help people with their own food drives.

"They can call us and we'll pick everything up and collect it," Sherry Hooper, the Food Depot's executive director, tells SFR.

It's also taking financial contributions to cover the expense of the relief efforts, which Hooper says will go on as long as needed. Those willing can reach the Food Depot at (505) 471-1633. Clothing and unessential household items will be refused. "We encourage people to donate things that are requested rather than things that they want to get rid of," she says.

Heritage Hotels, including the Hotel St. Francis, Hotel Plaza Real and The Lodge at Santa Fe, are offering discounted prices for Los Alamos County evacuees. At St. Francis and Plaza Real, the price is $99 per night. The Lodge is offering rooms at $79 a night. Pets can stay at any of the Heritage hotel for an extra $25 fee. The promotional code is "DISTRESSED."

In Espanola, the Santa Claran Hotel is offering rooms for evacuees for $69. Across from the Casino, at the East Event Center is offering shelter services in conjunction with the American Red Cross (more info below).

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Those looking for a free place to stay can give a call to Hutton Broadcasting, which is matching up evacuees with hosts.  Though Hutton has only been offering this since the afternoon, it's gotten around 30 calls from evacuees and about 50 calls from host volunteers.

"We're taking information from people who want to be hosted," Kendra Mitchell, who works promotions for Hutton, tells SFR. "It's been working out so far."

Hutton can be reached at (505) 471-1067. It plans to keep the lines open until 11pm tonight and reopen them at 7am tomorrow.

Evacuees worried about their livestock may be in luck. The Rodeo de Santa Fe has room. Either show up at 3237 Rodeo Road of give Rodeo Association President Jim Butler a call at (505) 316-5141.

In the meantime, Los Alamos County residents can tune into 1610 AM for updated information on the evacuations.

Photo by Lynda Rebeca Archuleta.

From the Red Cross:

• The American Red Cross in New Mexico is currently operating two official shelters:  
• Santa Claran Hotel & Casino in Espanola, NM - current shelter population: 85 (more expected)
• Cities of Gold Casino in Santa Fe, NM - current shelter population: 1 (more expected) 
• Pets, illegal substances and weapons of any kind are not allowed in any official Red Cross shelter. 
• We are not coordinating local house stays for evacuees with residents of any nearby communities - that is not in our service area.     
• The Red Cross does not accept in-kind material donations (food, water, clothing, etc.).
• Those interested in supporting this Red Cross disaster effort should visit www.redcrossnewmexico.org and click on the "donate" button.