Ignoring Orders, Some Sneak into Los Alamos

July 3, 2011
LOS ALAMOS, N.M. -- While residents are anxious to return home from the Las Conchas Fire, some are taking matters into their own hands and sneaking back in. Click Like For New Mexico News Updates:

LOS ALAMOS, N.M. --

While residents are anxious to return home from the Las Conchas Fire, some are taking matters into their own hands and sneaking back in.

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The mandatory evacuation is still in effect for Los Alamos residents, but some residents never left their homes and some have found ways back into town.

On Thursday, Sabrina and Roger Bartlett biked through downtown Los Alamos.

We did evacuate originally, Sabrina Bartlett said.

The National Guard has shut down the roads leading into Los Alamos, but some residents said theyve found creative ways to get around road blocks to make it back into town.

We decided to go on a long hike, Bartlett said. We just decided to take a walk through some trails that we know and we decided to just keep going and then we got to our house.

If they hiked in, and they've got automobiles here, and they've drive their automobiles around town, and they're looking at the smoke, or they're looking at you guys doing your work, or looking at my police officers or firefighters doing their work, that's the most hazardous thing for public officials for reporters, for that matter, while you're trying to do your job and focus on what you're doing, getting run over by a car and killed, Los Alamos Police Chief Wayne Torpy said.

But the Bartletts said theyre staying out of everyones way while firefighters continue to battle thick flames.

I was just getting so antsy living out of a motel, I just couldnt take it anymore, Roger Bartlett said. As long as I dont disturb people, I feel OK. If I get hurt, thats my fault.

The police chief is not the only one stressing the danger involved there. Firefighters said that want residents to remain in place until evacuation order is lifted.

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