Colorado Fires

[Zach]

Hope everyone is safe out there. My parents are in the pre- evacuation area on the SE end of the Black Forest fire. I have a lot in BF and the neighbors that have built have voluntary evac'd.
I know a couple from my church has evac'd and is staying at my inlaws closer to Elbert.

Black Forest is a tinder box, I feel for everyone who's lost their home.

Have a co worker who lives in Canon City, not sure if he's had to evac because of the Royal Gorge fire.

This is gonna be a long summer!!

 

[mdunc8]

My buddy's crew is heading down that way tomorrow. I didn't realize it was that bad down there.

 

[BuzzH]

Saw some footage on the local news of a few McMansions on fire.

I guess defensible space just hasnt gotten enough attention in Colorado the last few years...

Just dont understand why people wont listen, learn, and act accordingly.

Pretty tough to feel sorry for those that do nothing to help themselves.:W:

 

[Muskeez]

Is there a site where you can see the general areas that are currently being affected or better yet which areas have been burned each year? I don't understand how residents can prevent their home from being burned by a fire started by lightning or another person. I assume there are standards of open green spaces around homes that help, but sometimes it just can't be prevented, and I can't blame someone for wanting to live there. All areas of the country have their hazards I guess.

 

[BuzzH]

I don't understand how residents can prevent their home from being burned by a fire started by lightning or another person. I assume there are standards of open green spaces around homes that help, but sometimes it just can't be prevented, and I can't blame someone for wanting to live there. All areas of the country have their hazards I guess.

Its not rocket science...just fire science...

http://csfs.colostate.edu/pages/defensible-space.html

I guess 7 years of fighting wildland fires, many on the urban-interface, was enough to convince me that with proper planning and some pro-active approaches, most, if not all, of these things can be prevented.

They cant say they werent "aware" of the risks...or how to mitigate those risks.

Either pay attention or the piper...their choice.

 

[theat]

On a couple of the fires I have worked, we were told that if a homeowner had not created defensible space around their home, we should not waste our time trying to save it.

Several times I have had the opportunity to work in neighborhoods that had recently burned. Almost every home that had defensible space and a roof top sprinkler system survived and all that did not were burned to a crisp.

 

[idnative1948]

Wow! And to think the fire season has just started. Leaving Friday night for OR to mow off (weed whack) the meadow area as ours is right up against forested a hill. Tough to do anything about lightning, but some folks stupidity knows no bounds. I don't have enough fingers and toes to count how many times during the summer that (1) people have campfires in undeveloped campgrounds when a fire restriction is on and (2) how many of the idiots leave them smoldering AND they are camped on a creek.We always have shovels and buckets in the truck on the way up and the way out just for that reason. Along with garbage bags to pick up what they have left.
End of rant.

 

[Zach]

Is there a site where you can see the general areas that are currently being affected or better yet which areas have been burned each year? I don't understand how residents can prevent their home from being burned by a fire started by lightning or another person. I assume there are standards of open green spaces around homes that help, but sometimes it just can't be prevented, and I can't blame someone for wanting to live there. All areas of the country have their hazards I guess.

Here is the a map of the evacuation areas~ http://gazette.com/black-forest-fire-evacuation-map/article/1502207

Some comments are just better ignored.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

anybody know what hunt units the fires are burning in?sad to see houses go up in those areas.

 

[Goldtip]

I feel pretty much like Buzz I guess. My parents live in the middle of nowhere in the middle of a lodgepole forest. My father spent 6 years working to "park out" his 40 acres. No underbrush, no blowdowns, 20' of crushed gravel surrounding all outbuildings. No more shade trees around the home than he could fall in 30 minutes. They lived through the Wedge canyon fire that burned the summer of 2003 and lost only 6" of a leg on a lodgepole pine swing set Dad had built for my niece's. Fire burned a 3 mile wide swath running both sides of their property, their home made it through unscathed during the mandatory evacuation. Looked like an Oasis at their place. Wasn't luck, or the Forest Service that saved their home, it was hard work.

 

[jryoung]

I guess 7 years of fighting wildland fires, many on the urban-interface, was enough to convince me that with proper planning and some pro-active approaches, most, if not all, of these things can be prevented.

They cant say they werent "aware" of the risks...or how to mitigate those risks.

Either pay attention or the piper...their choice.

Reminds me of this

http://www.theonion.com/video/californians-gather-to-celebrate-annual-wildfire-t,14261/

 

[idnative1948]

Sounds like your dad is a pretty common sense guy. Good for him!

I feel pretty much like Buzz I guess. My parents live in the middle of nowhere in the middle of a lodgepole forest. My father spent 6 years working to "park out" his 40 acres. No underbrush, no blowdowns, 20' of crushed gravel surrounding all outbuildings. No more shade trees around the home than he could fall in 30 minutes. They lived through the Wedge canyon fire that burned the summer of 2003 and lost only 6" of a leg on a lodgepole pine swing set Dad had built for my niece's. Fire burned a 3 mile wide swath running both sides of their property, their home made it through unscathed during the mandatory evacuation. Looked like an Oasis at their place. Wasn't luck, or the Forest Service that saved their home, it was hard work.

 

[JohnCushman]

If any of you Springs area guys need to bail, I have room down here in Rocky Ford

 

[Zach]

anybody know what hunt units the fires are burning in?sad to see houses go up in those areas.

110 in CO Springs, Royal Gorge is 84(maybe 69) and I think the other is in RMNP.

 

[jlmatthew]

If any of you Springs area guys need to bail, I have room down here in Rocky Ford

See you in an hour and a half!

This fire is a doozy. Have a friend on the ground fighting it, and I'm getting plenty of overtime for it. Must say it makes me proud watching the Army helicopters fly over the house headed to & from it. Hooah!

 

[Big Fin]

I think our buddy Tim is under evacuation from one of these fires. I hope he and his family are safe and their neighborhood is spared damage.

 

[Zach]

I think our buddy Tim is under evacuation from one of these fires. I hope he and his family are safe and their neighborhood is spared damage.

If Tim needs any help with anything let me know.

 

[Oak]

Tim did evacuate, but I think his house is fine. Lots and lots of defensible space around it.

 

[Oak]

I'm guessing this one will be controlled soon.

 

[Zach]

I just got a text from my parents, who live just south of the mandatory evacuation line.

Raining good!