Colorado Fires

[1BADCJ8]

The following is the current stats on the Colorado wild fires. It all combined. I looked all this up since we had the fire just a mile from the house here. I find it to be staggering.

Acres Burned - 248,380 acres

Homes Lost - 229 homes

Businesses Lost - 1

Out Buildings Lost - 505 (forest service buildings and cabins, private cabins ......ect.)

Evacuations - uncountable at this time.

Fire Fighters & support personnel - 3007 persons

Cost of all combined - 83.505 Million Dollars

This was my post (pertaining) on the happy birth day America post.

Indeed a good day. They finally got the fire that was a mile from my house 90% contained. It was pretty freaky for a few days there. The sky was full of smoke and I could see the flames big time looking out my up-stairs window in my brand new garage. Gave a whole new meaning to Holy Smoke Batman.

All is pretty much ok for now, just a completely charred mountain side over here but its still burning a bit over the mountain. It is a small one relatively speaking burning only 240 acres so far. It could turn and come back over the mountain but very unlikely.

It was started by lightning and while it was on this side of the mountain the state ordered to let it burn and not to risk man power saying "its only trees". BUT then when it entered the NTL Forest on the other side it was get every one on that one now. Amazing, truly amazing.

 

[RobF]

Very staggering indeed! Glad to hear you're somewhat out of danger. I'm praying for all those affected by the devastation.

 

[trust]

fire

Glad you were spared, I understand the weird feelings and everything, we were evacuated after an NPS "controlled burn" (what a misnomer!) got away and burned about 50k acres and 400 homes year before last. We still have people in town living in FEMA trailers. It'll pass, if folks let it, and things will recover but it takes time, our mountains are still more black than green and I'll not live long wnough to see them back where they were before the fire, but that's ok.

Unfortunately, if forest fuel management is to be controlled via litigation rather than sound science and experience, fire is the only real outcome. The longer between fires the worse it'll be. If the land managers were allowed to do their job maybe we wouldn't have these horror stories every year but that doesn't seem to be the case anymore.

See you in two weeks, I'll be the smelly one having been wheeling for a week plus already!

tr

 

[dadscj8]

Danno, my family and i were thinking about heading your direction for some vacation time. Are things pretty much shut down around the Colorado Springs area? Should we wait a while?

 

[1BADCJ8]

Actually no Phil. Things are pretty normal considering. I wouldnt wait if I were you. Right now the fires are contained for the most part. We have gotten a little of the much needed rain and it helped. Next week we are taking off for the Scramble in Silverton so again, no I wouldnt wait.

Although over grown in a huge way the Springs is a very nice area.....to visit.