COLORADO SPRINGS — Four months after its fire chief resigned following a prolonged sick leave, the Black Forest Fire Department board has narrowed its search for a new chief to three finalists, including current acting Chief Jim Rebitski.
The new chief, who will be announced Dec. 10, will replace former Chief Bob Harvey. Harvey, who led the department during the devastating Black Forest fire in 2013, left on sick leave in June, claiming that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after the fire.
Harvey spent his final months as chief embroiled in controversy with El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa, who had accused the chief of bungling the department’s response to the Black Forest fire when it ignited June 11, 2013.
The fire went on to consume nearly 15,000 acres, destroy 488 homes and kill two people.
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Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or twitter.com/JesseAPaul
