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According to various news sources, eight fires are burning around Colorado today. News reports are being updated rapidly.
The Waldo Canyon Fire, which started only yesterday, is now reported to be at 3000 acres and burning very rapidly to the east, just west of Manitou Springs, according to local news reports in the area. The fire is behaving erratically and has multiple heads. One hundred foot flames have been reported. Manitou Springs, Cascade, and other towns have been evacuated this morning. Governor Hickenlooper toured the scene by helicopter this morning.
Local news reports have been focusing on residents packing up and evacuating from Manitou Springs. Some of the most up-to-date information is on twitter, using hashtags #waldocanyonfire and #waldofire, and coming from CO Springs Mayor Steve Bach, John Schroyer at the Gazette, and CO – Emergency Management. According to the Emergency Management website, CO is now at Preparedness level #5 on a scale of 1-5.
Among the facts being relayed to the press about the fires:
There is an open fire ban all across CO. No charcoal fires or open-flame barbecues. (Governor Hickenlooper’s Office)
There is a “red flag warning” meaning the fire danger is critical. One stray ember could have a disastrous effect.(NOAA — National Weather Service)
A call center has been established to answer non-emergent questions regarding the Waldo Canyon fire 719-955-0742. (El Paso County Sheriff)
If you see/smell smoke, avoid outdoor physical activities.If visibility <5 miles, smoke levels are unhealthy. (Colorado Health Dept.)
This morning, the CO Springs Sheriff stated that all commercial resources were being used first, and the federal government resources are ready to deploy when ordered.
Four hundred fifty-five firefighters are fighting the Waldo Park fire alone. (KKTV.com)
According to Hickenlooper’s office this morning, the federal government is now coming to help in the form of sending two C130s, which should arrive Monday. Other resources are also on its way from neighboring states.
Here is some information for those who must mitigate the fire risk around their home: http://www.rmiia.org/downloads… .
Disclaimer: All information shared above is from publicly available sources including the Colorado Gazette, the Colorado Emergency Management website, the CO Department of Public Health, and the National Weather Service.
Expect to see big changes in the aggressive response to these fires very soon. Stay safe, Colorado!
I was in Gunnison this weekend, and went up to the Black Canyon south rim – the smoke is so heavy you can’t see the mountains west of Montrose (i.e. Telluride). That’s from the fire in Mancos and from Pagosa Springs, which has now been burning for a month. Driving back along 285, the smoke was pretty strong in Park County; strong enough to smell through the air conditioning and to burn our eyes.
There are currently more than 11,000 people evacuated due to the location and activity of the fire, and it looks like it’s going to be a real devil of a fire to fight.
High Park is also getting worse; the hot temperatures and wind got the better of the crews on Friday/Saturday and they lost 10% of their containment lines. The fire jumped the canyon and is now threatening Hewlett Gulch residences.
Rain, please?
Seriously, it’s time for Federal help. This is serious as it spreads to pine beetle killed forest. With the high 90′s temp’s being forecast, CO needs help now.
If the Republican Tea Partiers had their way, there would be no beetle-killed forests.
Those lands would have been “forested” to the ground year ago.
I’m sad not being in GJ more often to meet my friends on the WS at Main St. Bagel.
Who did you vote for FPE?
You know we’re going to get more fires on July 4 from idiots setting off fireworks in fields.
Even idiots have a way of putting two and two together when they’re choking of wildfire smoke.
It’s usually “oops, I shouldn’t have…” instead of “because of the danger I won’t…”
Had some people shooting off firecrackers in the woods near my house on Friday. If they’d kept at it I would have been tempted to revert to Wild West justice (except that would have meant firing a gun, which is also stupid to do in these fire conditions…)
‘kay, folks – it’s not hard. If it’s hot or sparking, don’t introduce it to the outdoors right now.
If it’s in the dark woods, why don’t you creep up behind them and strangle them?
Rub your hands hard enough against some fratboy’s scratchy neckbeard, and you’ll start the fire to end all fires.
but it seems like we’ve had fewer fireworks this year. Usually they start as soon as the CU semester ends and continue until October, with a slight increase during July 4.
Every time I look at it, I’m reminded of Gov. Owen and the “it looks like all of Colorado is burning”.
Too busy raising kids and running a business. This is the first I’ve read of his quote. I take it there was a lot of political fall-out as well as embers in the air that summer? I remember standing in my backyard in s.e. Aurora and catching pieces of ash in my hands while my kids played. We may have been a hundred miles from the fire (not sure exactly), but it sure felt like everything was burning.
who was working at a phone help desk at the time…
Caller: so, where are you located?
Wife: Colorado
Caller: Is your building on fire?
shortly after the fire began for an extended period, a couple of weeks. When I got back and retrieved my car at DIA it was covered with ash