One of the worst wildfires in New Mexico history is putting a damper on out-of-state tourism to the village of Ruidoso.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that village officials recently have launched a new campaign in an attempt to bring tourists back after the Little Bear fire scorched 44,000 acres and destroyed 254 structures. The blaze never got closer than three miles of Ruidoso's northernmost neighborhoods.
But officials say extensive media coverage of the Little Bear fire has turned away tourists.
Tom Wood, co-owner of the Story Book Cabins in Ruidoso's Upper Canyon area, said he's lost around 40 nights of reservations because of safety concerns.
The village's Tourism Office has uploaded images of blue skies from a Ruidoso-based camera to digital billboards in Albuquerque and El Paso.
___
Information from: Albuquerque Journal, http://www.abqjournal.com
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.