Colorado Wildfires: Evacuations near Boulder

[cbayer]

Source: AP

Boulder County officials are evacuating about two dozen households southwest of Boulder due to a new wildfire.
Posted: June 26, 2012 - 5:37pm
WOODLAND PARK, Colo. (AP) — Boulder County officials are evacuating about two dozen households southwest of Boulder due to a new wildfire.

County officials say the fire started in southern Boulder County after lightning moved through.

It was among at least a half-dozen fires burning in Colorado on Tuesday.

North of Colorado Springs, firefighters are trying to keep a wildfire from burning houses and advancing toward the Air Force Academy. Fire information officer Greg Heule (HEW'-lee) says the Waldo Canyon fire is less than 5 miles from the southwest corner of the academy. Winds appear to be pushing the fire to the west of the school.

Read more: http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2012-06-26/colorado-wildfires-evacuations-near-boulder#.T-pI_WgZfzI

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My mom is there, 82 and lives alone. She is putting together a plan and a grab bag, but she is afraid.

[proud patriot]

1. I have an aunt and uncle near boulder

calling my mom now

[cbayer]

6. I hope they are ok.

My mom said the evacuations were very limited so far, but I encouraged her to get ready just in case.

[Warpy]

2. At least she's taking this seriously

Most people who evacuate spend a few uncomfortable days outside the danger area and go back to find their homes untouched. That's what she's got to hang on to.

We're still getting small fires here and there in NM, but the monster in the southwest part of the state is nearly contained. They also finally got around to closing the wooded areas close to the river, where stupid kids start most of the fires close to here.

All we have to hope here and in Colorado is that idiots don't burn down the rest of the states on the Fourth of July.

[cbayer]

4. Apparently the fire near Boulder was started by lightning today.

I guess the scariest part was how fast it happened.

Fourth of July is really, really worrisome, I agree. It's like a tinder box out there.

Stay safe (btw, NM is my favorite state in the whole US - enjoy for me).

[Woody Woodpecker]

15. Not surprising, considering that we've been cooking all week at 100 degrees temp.

It's just a tinderbox waiting to happen.

At least we get a small reprieve this evening - it's finally cloudy and cooling it down with a bit of rain.

I just hope the lightning doesn't ignite another fire.

[CrispyQ]

26. Someone is setting up a huge fireworks stand about a mile down the road.

I thought there was a ban on fireworks this year. ???

[oldhippydude]

18. well at least in NM

we are only a couple of weeks away from our monsoon.. hope its early and heavy

[Warpy]

19. Yeah let's hope it doesn't fizzle again.

I'm so sick of the thunderstorms in early July that turn into...nothing until it gets cold enough to snow.

And FEH, the swamp cooler has just started to bring in a smoke smell. Smells like wood so far so more idiots must've been setting off fireworks in the Bosque.

[oldhippydude]

20. haven't smelled anything here in the Menial / Moon area

i'm one of those who's sensitive because of health issues..always look forward to the monsoons

[intheflow]

3. The smoke plume is huge.

Driving home from work about 20 miles out on the plains, it looked like the fire was in Boulder itself. Terrifying!

[cbayer]

5. That's what my mom said as well. While not that close to her right now, she can see it

and that is what is scariest I think.

Hope you stay safe and that they get this all under control very, very soon.

[pasto76]

8. tell your mom to remain calm. the evac zones are quite large

the fire has currently threatened a single housing development, built literally one canyon over from the origin, and is now "approaching" a summer camp facility. The normal areas of residence are very safe so far. Caveat: for colo springs residents, the fire is on the edge of the Ute Pass communities right now. I cant see across the park right now because the wind shifted and is smoking out most of the north end.

[cbayer]

13. Thanks, pas to.

She has a friend quite near the evacuation zone, so that's scary to her.

She's a real trooper and will be fine, I am sure, but I appreciate any up to date info I can get.

[blaze]

7. Oh, cbayer!!!!

I had no idea your Mom was here!!!

And not to be too dramatic, but she has good reason to be afraid. The fires are going nuts here.... storms with lightning and the rain not reaching the ground... wind keeps switching direction.... This morning I heard the state has 12 wildfires, but I haven't been able to catch an update this evening. The crews are focusing on the fire outside of Colorado Springs where new evacuation orders went out a couple of hours ago.

If I can offer any support from my end, please feel free to pm me.

[pasto76]

9. jesus christ, have you even LOOKED at a map of this fire?!

it isnt ANYWHERE NEAR residences in this town - cedar heights being the exception. Dude's mother has almost ZERO reason to be afraid for the foreseeable future - an elderly woman might have respiratory issues with this smoke.


"not to be dramatic" but Im going to be anyway.

[blaze]

10. I stand corrected pasto76

I don't know CO Springs very well... just reacting to the media reports...

cbayer should listen to you for well reasoned info.

[cbayer]

12. She's just trying to help out here, and I appreciate her, you and everyone else's input.

I am thankful for any information I can get, but most definitely don't want to start a fight here.

[cbayer]

11. Thanks, blaze.

I'm going to take you up on the PM, because I can tell you exactly where she is and would ask that you keep me updated.

That would mean a lot to me.

[truedelphi]

14. Oh the poor people there. A heavy heart types this

Out, as I wish Colorado would be spared these fires.

[maddezmom]

16. thoughts to your mom and everyone else

[cbayer]

17. Thanks, you!

Haven't see you around much and am hoping that is a good thing.

[eggplant]

21. inciweb is a great source for information on the fires

High Park Fire (near Fort Collins): http://inciweb.org/incident/2904/
Waldo Canyon Fire (near Colorado Springs): http://inciweb.org/incident/2929/
Little Sand Fire (near Durango): http://inciweb.org/incident/2878/
Weber Fire (also near Durango): http://inciweb.org/incident/2937/

There isn't an incident report online yet for the new fire near SW Boulder.

[RockyMtnGuy]

22. Up to 32,000 now evactuated in El Paso county

West and northern parts of Colorado Springs have experienced a firestorm. At 4pm, 12,000 had been asked to evacuate the Waldo Fire, by 9pm over 32,000 have been asked to leave their homes. A "dry" thunderstorm pushed winds up to 65mph.

[StickManThePan]

23. It's really really bad!

I live in Colorado Springs, about 3 miles south of the fire lines now, watching my hometown burn. Scariest feeling ever, but am ready and prepared to leave at a moment's notice. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers! I know the Springs has the rep of being fundy, but there are good people here, and this city will be changed for decades to come.

[forthemiddle]

24. The first two years of my marriage were in Colorado Springs

My husband was stationed at Fort Carson.

We have returned many times over the past 25 years, and I still love that area. We are hoping to come back in the fall.
My thoughts and prayers are with everyone in the affected area today.

Stay safe.

[classof56]

31. Welcome to DU

I grew up in Colorado, near Denver, and feel sick about what's happening there. I join you in wishing everyone well. Blessings to all!

[StickManThePan]

32. Thank you!

Everyone is so welcoming here. Great to know there's so much support from everybody!

[maddezmom]

25. Updated link:

Fire devours homes in Colorado Springs
Updated 1h 18m ago Comments

WOODLAND PARK, Colo. (AP) – A stubborn and towering wildfire jumped firefighters' perimeter lines in the hills overlooking Colorado Springs, forcing frantic mandatory evacuation notices for more than 9,000 residents, destroying an unknown number of homes and partially closing the grounds of the sprawling U.S. Air Force Academy.

Heavy smoke and ash billowed from the mountain foothills west of the city. Bright yellow and orange flames flared in the night, often signaling another home lost to the Waldo Canyon Fire, the No. 1 priority for the nation's firefighters.

Interstate 25, which runs through Colorado Springs, was briefly closed to southbound traffic Tuesday. All told, officials said, evacuation orders affected as many as 32,000 residents.

"It was like looking at the worst movie set you could imagine," Gov. John Hickenlooper said after flying over the 9-square-mile fire late Tuesday. "It's almost surreal. You look at that, and it's like nothing I've seen before."

more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-06-27/colorado-wildfire/55851488/1

[cbayer]

27. Thanks, maddezmom.

Looks like things have settled down in Boulder, but Colorado Springs is still raging.

I've been in a lot of natural disasters, but never near a fire like this...

and I hope I never will be.

[longship]

28. Hope your mother is well

And the Boulder fire is worrisome as well. Phil Plait lives there, one of the best skeptics, an astronomer.

My thoughts are with you and your family, my friend.

[DearAbby]

29. We are sitting west of Golden

in the foothills....so dry around here. Hotter than hell. Lightning last night worried me. I was afraid it would touch off another fire.

This is the worst I have ever seen it. Been in Colorado for over 50 yrs. Storm last night was all Wind and lightning...No rain.

Best wishes for your mom. Hope and pray she will not have to leave her home.

[cbayer]

30. Best wishes to you as well, DearAbby.

I can only imagine how scary this must be.

[maddezmom]

33. UPDATE 2-Colorado wildfire expands viciously, Obama plans visit

Thu Jun 28, 2012 3:13am IST

* Governor calls it Colorado's worst fire season

* Obama plans to visit state later this week

* Western states battling 29 large wildfires (Adds new evacuation orders, Obama set to visit)

By Keith Coffman

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 27 (Reuters) - Firefighters struggled on Wednesday to beat back a wildfire raging at the edge of Colorado Springs that doubled in size overnight, forced more than 32,000 people from their homes and was nipping at the edges of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

The blaze, fanned by hot winds, has charred a number of homes on the wooded edges of the city and was prompting fresh evacuations on Wednesday.

President Barack Obama plans to travel to the area on Friday to view the damage. But in the chaos of the fire's advance, officials could not say exactly how many homes were lost or how many more people might join the ranks of the displaced.

Colorado Springs Fire Chief Rich Brown called the firestorm threatening his city - in a metropolitan area of more than 650,000 people - "a monster" and said at this point flames were "not even remotely close to being contained."

more: http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/06/27/usa-wildfires-idINL2E8HR7D420120627

[cbayer]

34. This is so scary and sad.

And it's so early in the summer.

Thanks for the update, maddezmom.

[maddezmom]

35. Waldo Canyon fire: About 300 homes destroyed in Colorado Springs

Tens of thousands of Colorado residents forced from their homes by an out-of-control wildfire took refuge with friends or family and crammed into hotels and shelters as Army troops helped firefighters protect the U.S. Air Force Academy from the flames.

The blaze was raging early Thursday in the mountains and in Colorado's second-largest city, after more than 30,000 evacuees quickly packed up belongings and fled. The wildfire was one of many burning across the parched West that have destroyed structures and prompted evacuations in Montana and Utah.

The full scope of the fire remained unknown. So intense were the flames and so thick the smoke that rescue workers weren't able to tell residents which structures were destroyed and which ones were still standing. Steve Cox, a spokesman for Mayor Steve Bach, said at least dozens of homes had been consumed.

The Denver Post published an aerial photograph of the Mountain Shadows neighborhood in which some 300 homes, all of them inside the Colorado Springs city limits, were burned to the ground.

more:http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2012/0628/Waldo-Canyon-fire-About-300-homes-destroyed-in-Colorado-Springs

[cbayer]

36. Another member gave me this great link for a google map with fire areas

http://google.org/crisismap/2012_us_wildfires

Fort Collins looks rough right now as well.