Author |
Message |
Hukdonreality
Member
09-29-2003
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 12:59 pm
Gosh, I hope they get that under control soon! I think you have a beautiful state, and what a shame for so much of the landscape (and homes, of course) being destroyed.
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Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 1:09 pm
Karuuna, thank you for keeping us posted.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 1:26 pm
It's just so heartbreaking. My old boss had a home at the end of one of those roads, and he and his wife would ask me to house sit for them periodically. This is truly rustic, wooded area, even tho there are homes, it's about as natural as any settled area can be around here. Wildlife, trees, native plants. Years ago they had a fire there also, and my boss had to evacuate but left his home open for the firefighters to use, inviting them to crash there for down time, and eat whatever they had. When the fire was over, it had come up to the house on two sides, the interior of the house was really trashed by the firemen, but it the house was standing. The road they live on is still closed, but they are now letting animal rescue in, no homeowners. I've done that work, and it's tough stuff gettin' those scared critters caught and evacuated. I find it very worrisome that after Ritter flew over this afternoon, he not only called it a state of emergency, but also allocated $5million. That's the most ever allocated to a Colorado wildfire since the Hayman fire - a fire that destroyed over 250 homes... I'm very worried. I think there is bad news to come.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 1:35 pm
(((((((((Kar and your community))))))))))) I hope this resolves quickly. Enough damage has been done. Once again, Kar, Doc, Whoami, and others, PLEASE stay stafe and keep us posted when you can. Thanks for the updates Kar. Frankly, it sounds terrifying!
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Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 1:36 pm
continued prayers for all involved. Animal rescue can be difficult. Veterinarians that want to be involved have to take a special course. I hope this nightmare is over for you soon.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 1:55 pm
These fires are incredibly horrific. Hoping things improve quickly.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 2:23 pm
Okay, they just finished a press conference. They are now saying a "minimum of 63 structures lost" but only half the burn area has been surveyed..... ETA.. and more evacuations are expected.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 4:25 pm
Wow, I hope they can turn it around soon.. get good weather for the firefighters and hotshot crews and knock it down. People refusing to leave or going back in is always a problem here, too. Takes up lots of resources. Sure at some point they are on their own, but no one wants to leave someone to die. Wish you could have had our weather today.. gloomy until 4:30pm, even rain off and on as I drove around today.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 4:48 pm
We are praying for rain, but it doesn't look like that will happen for a few days. The original firefighters have been on the line for over 36 hours now, and they are exhausted. A friend of mine owns a wildfire/fighter supply company, and he packed up their truck and drove down there today to drop off things they might need. He says they're looking pretty stressed and the Boulder County Sherriff was near tears. They do expect some crews from Wyoming and Montana tonight; and tomorrow it will turn into a Type 1 response, which is the worst kind of fire, but it also commands more federal support. They are still dropping retardant, but they are only trying to protect buildings at this point. There is simply no hope of any kind of containment in any direction, so they've pretty much concentrated on saving structures and given up on trying to set up a perimeter. It's pretty amazing to me how they set up defenses around particular homes, directing the fire this way or that way around the home, and saving the home in the process. Of course, it helps if the homeowners have done fire mitigation around their properties. It helps a lot. Sounds like the fairgrounds has enough hay, but the humane society is running out of food for all the sheltered pets, so may do a run to Sam's and then down there tomorrow to drop off canned food.
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Babyruth
Member
07-19-2001
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 5:13 pm
I remember the Sunshine Canyon area quite well from my years in Boulder. Such a beautiful, quiet area. I've been following this awful and sad story in the news. I hope the firefighters can get it all under control soon. Thanks for the continued updates, Kar.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 6:28 pm
Last press conference was just held. 93 structures lost, 8 damaged. Fire is still 0% contained. The good news is that relief firefighters are arriving by the hundreds (finally!). They are up to 300 or 400 now, with more arriving every hour.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 6:29 pm
Babyruth, it is a beautiful amazing area. And it is heartbreaking - it just spread so hot and fast there was so little they could do.
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Happymom
Member
01-20-2003
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 6:55 pm
I was really hoping there would be some good news / containment by now. I am glad to see no deaths reported. Thanks for the updates Kar. Stay safe.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 7:11 pm
Happy about the influx of firefighters but ZERO containment sounds so bloody ominous and depressing. Hope that changes soon.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 7:42 pm
The weather isn't helping unfortunately. They can't do anything at all about putting the fire out. Only spreading retardant and making firebreaks where they can to protect houses. But there are lots of homes they can't even get to... it's so sad.
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Hermione69
Member
07-23-2002
| Tuesday, September 07, 2010 - 7:47 pm

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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Wednesday, September 08, 2010 - 7:00 am

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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Wednesday, September 08, 2010 - 7:34 am
We continue to get reinforcements from all over the country, the firefighters really need it. Still working at about 100 structures destroyed, half of which are homes. Nine of which are homes of firefighters. Good news that the fire area is about 1000 acres smaller today, now around 6000 acres. Normally fires 'lay down' at night, and hopefully the winds won't pick up today and spread it again. There is a chance for isolated showers today, pls pray that some of that rain falls on the fire! Last: 8 people are still missing.
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Wednesday, September 08, 2010 - 7:38 am
Praying for rain.
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Whoami
Member
08-02-2001
| Wednesday, September 08, 2010 - 7:46 am
I can definitely see the haze and smell the smoke today. At the recent press conference, the reporters were just as annoying as yesterday, if not more. And to think, I once sought to major in Journalism in college. What turned me off the profession was my first Journalism class, and the complete ass the instructor was. I knew I had a decent skill in writing, but I knew I didn't have it in me to be that big of a jerk. A friend of mine lived in Sunshine Canyon years ago. IIRC, it was her parent's home. I even stayed up there one weekend with her. She and her hubby eventually moved to Indianna, and she came back once when they were either getting divorced or were separated. That was the last time I saw her.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Wednesday, September 08, 2010 - 7:53 am
From the list of addresses of destroyed homes, it looks like Sunshine Canyon has about half of them. 
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Whoami
Member
08-02-2001
| Wednesday, September 08, 2010 - 9:22 am
Yea, I saw that. I guess its a good thing I don't have the address of where they lived anymore. But it seems like back then, it was so remote, that there weren't even any house addresses. To send her a card it was basically just the family name, Sunshine Canyon and a Zip.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Wednesday, September 08, 2010 - 4:11 pm
It rained! For about an hour, but every little bit helps! The list of structures destroyed is sadly up to 140, with another 30 or so damaged. The firefighters say they made good progress today, not so much on containment, but on starting a fire line, plus lots of slurry/retardant was dropped since the aircraft could work all day. Fresh firefighters and the Type 1 team arriving tonight. Hot shots are already on site.
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Debra
Member
11-20-2003
| Wednesday, September 08, 2010 - 5:49 pm
Yay for the rain! Sending up more prayers this is over soon and that everyone stays safe.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Wednesday, September 08, 2010 - 6:32 pm
I'm glad it rained too. More bad news however: the count for homes destroyed is now up to 136, making this the worst wildfire in Colorado history.
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