An update from Colorado

[Ohio Joe]

I posted a bit yesterday and thought I'd give an update:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100216196986

The fire ended up being a little closer than I thought, some friends who got evacuated and came to stay with us only lived about 5 miles from us. Pretty much their entire neighborhood went up... Just awful. We were packed up and ready to go but we were pretty sure from the way the wind was going that we would not be leaving. We were able to make a few trips back and forth grabbing whatever stuff we could before the emergency services people stopped letting people in. They have a son with a house about 20 miles from here, so we spent all day bring them and what stuff they had left up there. I know they also started talking with insurance... I know from experience that will be a headache. The snow started coming down around 1:30-2m but as of this afternoon around 4pm they were still not letting people in to look but there has been all kinds of arial footage from local news as well as people flying drones over the area... It is not pretty. They were saying there were still some isolated fires so... Not sure when people will get in.

Right now... It's looking like we know at least 7 or 8 people who lost their homes but we are expecting that to go up. Just like the total official number is still at the 580 from yesterday, it is also going to go up... People here are expecting it to be easily over 1000. Just crazy... Sheesh.

Well... Climate change, it'll just keep getting worse.

[hlthe2b]

1. Everyone i know up and down the CO Front Range is very shaken by this, myself included.

This could have happened literally anywhere in the area with those winds.

Before this, I felt like there were sufficient geographic barriers against wildfire spread and grassland fires were rapidly contained. I don't feel that way anymore. Shaken, indeed.

[Ohio Joe]

3. oh yeah...

I've talked with neighbors and friends and that is the exact sentiment and I'm sure it will be the only topic when I get back to work next week. Watching from the front yard yesterday, it was pretty damn scary, and I was not even seeing flames, just the massive smoke plumes.

[calimary]

11. It's a shame that THIS is what it might take to shake some deniers awake.

Not as many as we need shaken awake, but every person who finally decides to give up on Wrong-wing Fantasyworld and accepts reality is a small step forward.

We need an awful lot of those small steps being taken, though.

[LoisB]

2. Sorry for your friends. This is very sad.

[BigmanPigman]

4. There were two enormous fires near me

and schools were closed for a week each time. Thousands of homes burned. Many friends lost their homes. One friend was evacuated but she knew a secret back entrance to get to her house to see if it was still standing. It was thank goodness. Do your friends know of a secret back entrance/route?

[Ohio Joe]

5. They could probably get in...

I’m not sure if it would be worth it. They know the house is gone, they just want to see it for themselves… But it may be best to wait till the fire teams say it’s safe and everything is put out. I’m expecting it to open in another day or two anyway.

[caraher]

6. My brother was a few miles north

in Niwot... it's pure chance who wound up in the way of that inferno

[rsdsharp]

7. I checked with my best friend from my home town last night.

He lives near the fires, and I was concerned. He said the fires were about eight miles south of their house. The could see them from the upstairs window, to the south, but the wind was blowing straight east, so it looked like they had dodged a bullet. I feel badly for those who weren’t so lucky.

[mountain grammy]

8. The snow came a day late

like last October here in Grand Lake. Many friends lost homes. The trauma is still with us, even for those of us who lost nothing. My heart goes out to all of you. Seems we have a year round fire season now.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

9. Sadly it wont be taken seriously

Until the over wealthy have to flee thier homes because fire is ripping through thier gated communities.

Maybe then these wealthy and the republican fools around them will finally take climate change seriously.

[Crunchy Frog]

10. Thanks for the update. I was born in Boulder, and lived in Lafayette for many years,

just outside of the evacuation area.

Really heartbreaking to see all the devastation.