Firefighters rescue ‘Cinder’ the elk calf from fire’s ashes

MORGAN LEE
Associated Press

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Firefighters have rescued an abandoned newborn elk calf from the ashes of the nation’s largest wildfire as calving season approaches its peak in early June and fires rage across the American Southwest. Missoula, Montana-based firefighter Nate Sink says he happened upon the motionless calf on the floor of a fire-blackened forest in New Mexico as he extinguished smoldering trees. Elk are seldom outrun by wildfire, and the rescue of the singed calf dubbed “Cinder” evoked events 70 years ago in New Mexico involving a scalded black bear cub and the fire prevention mascot “Smokey Bear.” Crews made significant progress battling the blaze Wednesday ahead of worsening conditions into the weekend.