House sitter becomes unexpected hero, saving four protected raptors during Trout Fire
Within days of starting her house-sitting gig in Mimbres, Jayden Jones learned a wildfire had sparked only a few miles north. 'I went there Friday and I was like, wow, the smoke is getting pretty bad here,' said Jones. 'We were watching that Watch Duty app and making sure the fires weren't anywhere near us.'
As the flames from the Trout Fire moved closer, the neighborhood hit GO status Tuesday afternoon. Jones knew it wasn't as simple as just getting herself out of harm's way, as she was also watching the homeowner's four birds of prey.
Story continues below
Wildfire: House sitter becomes unexpected hero, saving four protected raptors during Trout Fire
Trending: New restaurant in Old Town takes over space left by beloved eatery
Crime: Man sentenced for stealing copper in downtown Albuquerque
News: Feds charge man for buying fireworks in NM, claiming he was going to use them against police in LA
'We all ended up booking it out there as fast as we could. They had already closed 152, so we ran into a blockade and I was like I'm house-sitting, there's eagles and the birds, and he was like, yeah, go, just be safe,' said Jones.
Jones, along with two neighbors, reached the house in time, but there's still one problem: none of them has experience handling birds.
'I actually took a big sheet with me in case we had to just throw it over them and grab them that way I thought one way or another we're going to get the birds out for them,' said neighbor, Janie Epperson.
They quickly got to work as officers drove by, telling people to evacuate. 'I went into a mode where I was very aware,' said Jones. She said she put on the raptor gloves and talked to the birds, getting them out one by one and over to the Gila Wildlife Rescue in Silver City.
'I was glad that Jayden was so confident about handling them and having the glove on and grabbing the jesses, you know, I was so impressed with her because she was fearless,' said Epperson.
'It was definitely a team effort, and I'm really grateful that we were able to pitch in together, you know, and make this work,' said Jones.
Jones says the homeowners were able to pick up their birds from the rescue today and are waiting for the ok to return home.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
KRQE Care Shoes for Kids fundraising month and upcoming phone bank
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – KRQE Cares Shoes for Kids has a goal of making a difference in the lives of New Mexico's Title 1 students by providing a new pair of shoes, socks, dental supplies, a book and personal interaction with each child. August is KRQE Cares Shoes for Kids fundraising month. The goal is to raise $50,000 to start off the school year and put shoes on the feet of more than 2,000 children in need. You can donate online, click the red donate button or call during the upcoming phone bank on Thursday, August 14th from 4p – 7p. Donate to Shoes for Kids If you'd like to send a donation by check, please make the check out to Assistance League of ABQ and put in the designation line – KRQE Cares. Mail to: Assistance League of ABQ Attn: KRQE Cares, P.O. Box 35910, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87176 Since its creation in 2015, KRQE Cares shoes for kids in partnership with the Assistance League of ABQ has put over 32,000 new pairs of shoes on low-income children due to generous donations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Proposal to make it easier to create Safe Outdoor Spaces in Albuquerque fails in hearing
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Dozens packed Albuquerque City Council chambers Wednesday night, not for a council meeting, but for a land use and zoning hearing on Safe Outdoor Spaces. 'The first day we were open, I arrived early to our Safe Outdoor Space to one of our first tenants emerging from her tent, and I said, 'How did you sleep?' And she breathed really deep and smiles and had tears in her eyes, and she says, 'I haven't slept through the night in four years. Thank you for creating space,' said Jesse Harden, pastor & Safe Outdoor Space operator. Albuquerque group uses old fire truck to give showers to homeless community Safe outdoor spaces are designated areas where people experiencing homelessness can camp legally. The proposed amendments aim to make it easier for property owners and businesses to create these spaces by removing what supporters called 'prohibitive obstacles.' Some urged the board to adopt all changes, while others pushed to go even further, calling for a full repeal of the ordinance altogether. 'Every tent on our property and every tent at a safe outdoor space means one less tent on Albuquerque's sidewalks, in our parks and alleyways, under our overpasses, or on private property where they are not welcome. We've been asked why quirky used books and more does not apply to be city-sanctioned SOS? The answer is simple. The burdensome regulations of unfunded mandates in the SOS ordinance make it impossible,' said Gillam Kerley, owner of Quirkey Used Books and More. But after hours of people voicing their support, the changes failed on a 2-3 vote, meaning the current rules for Safe Outdoor Spaces stay in place for now. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Teen Wants to Keep Late Dad's Last Name After Mom's New Marriage, but She Says It Sends the Wrong Message
A teen wants to keep his late father's name, but his mom and stepdad say his refusal to adopt their hyphenated last name is hurtful NEED TO KNOW A 16-year-old refuses to adopt his blended family's hyphenated last name His mom and stepdad believe his choice shows rejection toward their family The teen, however, says he wants to honor his late father by keeping the original name A teenager turns to the Reddit community for advice following ongoing tension in his blended family over his last name. The 16-year-old, who shares his story on the popular platform, reveals that he's the only member of his household who doesn't use the family's hyphenated name — and he doesn't plan to start anytime soon. 'My mom has asked me about 5 times since she remarried to change my last name but I still say no," he writes, noting that he only uses his dad's last name, "Doe," rather than the new one combining the two households, "Jones-Smith." His resistance to adopting the hyphenated name has caused strain with his mother and stepfather, especially since everyone else in the house — including his half and stepsiblings — embraces the combined identity. Giving more context, the teen noted that his parents split when he was a toddler and his dad died when he was 7. His mom remarried when he was 11, bringing her new husband and his three kids into the picture, who mostly stay with them rather than their biological mother. The last name issue came to a head shortly after the marriage, when his mom chose to keep her surname to match her younger children. 'Instead they hyphenated both and some of the kids changed theirs too,' he writes. 'The others didn't but they use the family name anyway.' While the poster didn't want to change their last name, they offered to make the hyphenated option their "middle name," but their mom still wasn't satisfied. 'She said she didn't like me being the only person not connected in and rejecting the family name,' he writes. 'She told me that she knows I don't really like her husband… but he's a good guy and a better dad than my half siblings dads.' The teen, however, stands firm in honoring the name he shares with his late father. 'I told her I was good and I wanted to keep using my name,' he writes, noting that his father was also a good man and was in his life "until he died.' Things escalated during a family outing when they attended a workshop and were asked to create "family crests." He made one for his last name while everyone else did one for the hyphenated name. His stepfather told him that he "should've done one" for the family name, too, because "it was a family experience." When his mom asked if he "wanted to go back and do another one," he declined. That night, tensions boiled over. His mother and her husband confronted him again about his choice to stick with his dad's last name. 'They told me I don't need to be so rigid about the name and that never using it just makes it look like I hate all of them,' he shares. According to the teen, things got more intense when his mother reminded him she could have legally changed his name without his input. 'Mom told me she could have changed my name without my permission but she tried to work with me and I spat in her face right back,' he says. 'I told her I could just change it back eventually if she had done that.' That response didn't sit well with them. 'They looked upset that I said it but it's true,' he continues, noting that they insisted his choosing the other last name was a "bad" thing. Regardless, many commenters sided with the teen, pointing out that it's his name and his choice. One Redditor wrote, 'NTA, it's your name, apart from the legacy of your father who you've loved and who has loved you from your words, it's also a huge hassle to change the name on all official documents and stuff like that.' The original poster adds that he's also heard how legally "risky" name changes can be in general. 'I've also heard it's really risky now to change your name multiple times,' he writes. 'And I would always change it back eventually if mom had mine changed against my wishes.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. He finishes his post by standing his ground and questioning the emotional weight others have placed on a name he never wanted. 'I'm not sure what it is that makes it such a risk/pain,' he says. 'But I see people talking about it and warning women getting married to keep their own names because of legal issues with changing them.' With his family pushing for unity through a shared name, the teen turns to Reddit simply asking: 'AITA for never using the family last name and only using mine.' Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
