OT - Co Fires: Obama declares CO a major disaster area, over 600 homes destroyed.

[Fedaykin]

Waldo Fire

* President Obama declares Colorado a federal disaster area, allowing federal funds to assist in firefighting efforts and recovery.

* At least 3 confirmed fatalities, dozens missing.

* Over 600 homes destroyed by the high Park and Waldo Canyon Fires

* 180,000+ acres burned

* Containment and/or control of current fires are not expected until late summer or early fall.


Old Stuff::


*346 homes, primarily in the Manitou Springs subdivision, have been destroyed. An unknown number of other structures including businesses and other infrastructure gone.

* Fire ballooned Tuedsay (6/26) afternoon and evening dur to extreme (65mph) winds. This fire is INSIDE Colorado Springs (NOT JUST near it) and outlying suburbs, south and west of the Air Force Academy, along CO Highway 24 (pikes peak).

* An evacuation has been issued by the City of Colorado Springs for Mt Springs, Peregrine and Westwood. At approximately 4 pm (6/26) the fire progressed west to east in Division Y crossing Queens Canyon and established itself on the east aspect of the Front Range.

(translation: the fire has crossed the last significant physical barrier between it and the greater CO. Springs area)

* An unknown (but assumed to be at least several hundred) number of homes, businesses and other structures have been destroyed.

* ~7,000 acres. 5% contained? 32,000 residents in W and NW Colorado Springs have been evacuated

* Suspected cause of this fire is arson.


6/26 map: http://kdvr.com/2012/06/26/map-waldo-canyon-fire/

From inside Co Springs:







Currently Evacuation area (this is western Co Springs just south of the Air Force Academy)

http://localtvkdvr.files.wordpress.c...rev2_11x17.pdf


High Park Fire

* Fire has increased to almost 90,000 acres. Progress is stalled at 45% containment.

* 57 more homes destroyed in Glacier Park neighborhood, for a total of at least 250 homes destroyed and several hundred other structures.

* Cost of firefighting efforts to date exceed $30 million

* Fire still has a high growth potential. Has jumped the Poudre River several times already and is burning into extremely rugged terrain.


Current Fire Maps as of June 23:

( note: Poudre Canyon is highway 14 labeled on the map)



Links to other information:

http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2904/

http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs....e/highfire.pbs

Other CO Wildfires:

http://www.inciweb.org/state/6/

[alkemical]

Best wishes to all the CO folk. I'm from the plains of CO myself.

[SouthStndJunkie]

That sucks, I used to live in Loveland and Fort Collins and am familiar with that area.

[bronco militia]

is that Horse Tooth resevoir?

[Fedaykin]

Originally Posted by bronco militia

is that Horse Tooth resevoir?

Yes. Horsetooth Mountain and Arthur's Rock Mountain are in flames.

[Dexter]

My family owns some property up around Red Feather Lakes. From what I understand its not quite in that area. Scary though.

My thoughts definitely go out to the people that live in that area, and the brave firefighter and other personnel involved in fighting this fire.

The beetle kill can't be helping, there is so much in that area, which is sad in itself.

[oubronco]

Nice lookin lake

[broncocalijohn]

Has this come close to Nunn? I have family in Fort Collins and Nunn. Nunn isn't like the pictures I see on TV with the forest like settings but any raging fire can sweep through grass and **** load of junk on those 35 acre property laid out.

[Fedaykin]

Originally Posted by Dexter

My family owns some property up around Red Feather Lakes. From what I understand its not quite in that area. Scary though.

My thoughts definitely go out to the people that live in that area, and the brave firefighter and other personnel involved in fighting this fire.

The beetle kill can't be helping, there is so much in that area, which is sad in itself.

Yeah, the beetle kill basically reduced a lot of that area to a tinderbox, which is one of the reasons the fire has spread so quickly. The scary thing is, the beetle kill there is much less than in other parts of Colorado.

[bronco militia]

Originally Posted by Fedaykin

Yes. Horsetooth Mountain and Grey Rock Mountain are in flames.

damn it.....


here's a map:

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_20...r-fort-collins

[Fedaykin]

Originally Posted by broncocalijohn

Has this come close to Nunn? I have family in Fort Collins and Nunn. Nunn isn't like the pictures I see on TV with the forest like settings but any raging fire can sweep through grass and **** load of junk on those 35 acre property laid out.

Nunn is several miles east of Fort Collins. It should be safe.

[Stagger Lee]

Stay safe out there friends.

[Mountain Bronco]

Colorado and the west in general is so dry this year. Lets hope the monsoon rain season starts up soon.

[Natedogg]

From Fort Collins. Family still lives there. Seeing all that nature in flames is really a kick in the gut.

[crush17]

Spent 30 years of my life there. My moms house is near the foothills. I am absolutely devastated and very worried.

[Fedaykin]

Faith in Humanity somewhat restored.

Red Cross, Salvation Army and other relief organizations being overwhelmed with donations.

http://www.coloradoan.com/viewart/20...High-Park-Fire

[Tombstone RJ]

I spent a lot of time in Ft. Fun. Too bad about this fire, are they saying lighting started it?

[Fedaykin]

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

I spent a lot of time in Ft. Fun. Too bad about this fire, are they saying lighting started it?

The current theory is natural ignition, as no human source has been identified, but the forensics team has just barely been able to start work.

[Fedaykin]

'Firefighters are defending homes near Lory State Park today as the High Park Fire moves east toward Fort Collins."


...



Gavin, who is up at the state park, said firefighters have been creating defensible space around homes in the area of the north end of Horsetooth Reservoir, and in some cases covering structures with fire-resistant foam. He said the fire has been burning through those areas but sparing homes due to the work by firefighters and aircraft.
“There are flames coming up to homes, but we have fire equipment up here and we’ve been working all day to make them defensible,” Gavin said."'

"Based on current weather and forecasts, Gavin said there’s currently little chance of the fire moving into the city of Fort Collins. But he said the fire has been throwing debris as much as a half-mile in advance of the actual flames, and said there’s always the potential one of the city’s open spaces or natural areas could ignite."

Hats off to the fine work being done. There are a *lot* of homes in that area.

[cutthemdown]

Originally Posted by Fedaykin

Faith in Humanity somewhat restored.

Red Cross, Salvation Army and other relief organizations being overwhelmed with donations.

http://www.coloradoan.com/viewart/20...High-Park-Fire

Really America always steps up when we have an emergency. We ain't perfect but I think we generally do care about each other and try and donate to regions when they are on the ropes. I always do because I know one day the **** hits the fan in California and we will need help.

[scorpio]

It's pretty crazy up here right now. You can see the flames from the CSU campus. The fire has been sweeping down the foothills toward town all morning.

I know a few people personally who have lost their houses, and I suspect I'll know quite a few more before things calm down.

[Drunken.Broncoholic]

Dam must be dry back there. Out here in Cali we are a half puffed cigarette away from the entire state blazing away. Dry dry dry

[Fedaykin]

Originally Posted by Drunken.Broncoholic

Dam must be dry back there. Out here in Cali we are a half puffed cigarette away from the entire state blazing away. Dry dry dry

Colorado is in extreme drought conditions (even relative to our normal drought).

[hades]

Those flames are getting very close to the house I grew up in. Luckily, my parents moved further east, still in Ft Collins, but not as close to the flames. My Mom said it was like it was snowing black, ash is covering up everything.

Man, I'm tempted to call my folks right now and buy them a plane ticket to come visit. they are old and don't need to be breathing in that crap.

[Fedaykin]

Originally Posted by hades

Those flames are getting very close to the house I grew up in. Luckily, my parents moved further east, still in Ft Collins, but not as close to the flames. My Mom said it was like it was snowing black, ash is covering up everything.

Man, I'm tempted to call my folks right now and buy them a plane ticket to come visit. they are old and don't need to be breathing in that crap.

Last night the smoke settled over Fort Collins. You needed a gas mask to be outside and not be choking on ash.