I am writing this because I know a lot of you are worried about the fires in Colorado and the people and loved ones that are near them. Please pass on this information to anyone else that may be interested in reading about what is going on throughout our state.
As it stands right now Brandon, Peyton, and I are an hour and a half from one fire and an hour and a half from another (that's driving time). Brandon's parents are 25 minutes from an out of control blaze east of Grand Junction. Brandon has cousins, I have a close friend and a cousin being affected by the Waldon fire. My best friend is affected by the fire in Eagle. I have college friends being affected by the fires in both Boulder and High Park. I have a very close friend being affected by the fire outside ofDurango. And the scariest is that Brandon and I have close friends here in the Wildcat/Snowmass Fire Department on the front lines fighting these fires.
I know it is hard to think about people that are affected by the fires that aren't family members. The fact is that these fires are having a large effect on the entire state from people having family, friends, schoolmates, local firefighters, and others in or near the fire. The other side of the devastation that not too many out of state people are talking about is the HUGE effect it is having on the state’s tourism. Not just in the areas of fire but the entire state. People don't want to camp because they can't have camp fires, they are afraid to travel with the risk of being stuck/and/or caught in the start of a fire. The entire state is in a very delicate state right now and everyone is on alert. The snow-pack is gone. Yesterday was the first day Aspen/Snowmass has seen a decent rainfall since April. The dead trees from the Pine Beetle are just sitting on mountainsides vulnerable to the lightning. And then there is the lightning. There have been some vicious storms blowing through our state. Just last night Brandon and I witnessed about an hour of non-stop lightning with little rain. I'm not talking about lightning that lights up the sky, I'm talking about the lightning bolts you see in photographs. Every strike we could see. 9News weather has said that those storms will be coming through every afternoon for a few more days.
Here is the development on all the major fires in the state. Note: there are more fires burning than just these. These fires are the large devastating ones are the ones I've listed below.
Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs has been burning for 6 days with 3 people dead, and 346 homes lost. Tuesday it was at 6200 acres, today it is at 18,500. Today the fire is 5% contained. The devastation with this fire is not only the acreage at this point but the fact that its path of destruction was through residential areas.
Keep in mind, containment is not how much of the fire is put out but is the barrier of the fire that the firefighters have created to control it and try to fight it.
The High Park Fire (north or Denver, but don't confuse it with the Boulder fire) has been burning for a couple weeks. I'm sorry I don't have an exact date. The fire is now 85% contained. It is 87,284 acres which is the largest fire in Colorado history. 259 homes have been destroyed and one person has died. The good news is that they are expected to have it 100% contained by this weekend.
The Pine Ridge Fire is east of Grand Junction, with part of it burning on I-70. I believe as of this morning one lane eastbound on I-70 had opened. No west bound traffic. This is a concern because for residents west of Glenwood Springs and our area the Grand Junction hospital is the closest trauma hospital. Denver would be the next. Usually if someone needs to be flight-for-life out of here they are taken to Grand Junction first. Flight-for-life can mean either helicopter or ambulance. I've known people to be transported via both. This fire is 12,047 acres and has a path going straight for 50 oil wells which could be absolutely disastrous. It is also 0% contained. Theterrain this fire is in is said to be difficult for firefighters to get in to, and the resources are getting low on the help you would want to see from the air. Evacuations have been made and no homes have been taken yet. This is the fire that is 25 minutes from Brandon's parents.
If anyone would like to read more about any of the other fires 9News Denver is a great source, as well as the Denver Post. As I sit here writing this it is starting to sprinkle! This state needs about a week of the New England dreary, rainy weather!!!! Thoughts and prayers go out to all friends, family, workers, and business owners! Stay strong Colorado!
