Archive through June 16, 2002
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TV ClubHouse: archives: Colorado Fires: Archive through June 16, 2002

Hereiam

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 10:20 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I have been watching the coverage on the news about all the fires going on in Colorado, especially around the Denver area. Are all the TVCHers in Colorado doing ok ??? My thoughts are with you.

Karuuna

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 10:27 am EditMoveDeleteIP
thanks for checking, Hereiam! I'm a long way from this fire, but I can see the smoke covering Denver - can't see Denver at all. So far we've been fortunate in the fire near Denver, only one house lost even tho 77,000 acres have burned.

The frustrating thing is that this fire was caused by folks who flagrantly violated a no campfire rule in the national forest. It just boggles my mind that anyone can be so cavalier or selfish.

Julieboo

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 10:29 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Too bad they can't find the culprits and sue them for all the damage money.

Weinermr

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 12:34 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Glad you're OK Kar. Is anyone else out there affected by these fires?

We were near the Saugus fires last week, but not personally affected. Except for smoke in the air and soot on the car, everything was OK.

Whoami

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 02:37 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I'm far away from it too. Can't see the smoke, but I'd have to drive away from the housing development to do so, and I'm too lazy to do it!

The tourist industy is furious here. Something about a newspaper making it sound like wildfires were bearing down on the city of Denver, and that the whole state was on fire (didnt' catch the whole story. I was driving in my car, and got to my destination before they continuted with the story).

Gail

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 04:23 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I am east of Colorado Springs but around 2:30 am Monday morning, my dogs woke me up because they smelled the smoke and were worried. I got up and went out both the front and back doors looking to see if I could see anything. It was too far to see anything but the smell was pretty strong. I actually had a pretty bad headache from all the smoke. Two years ago, we could smell the smoke and see the haze from the fires in New Mexico 300 miles away.

I laid awake for a couple hours thinking about the old "what would you take" scenario. Ever since I moved here 8 years ago, fire has been my biggest fear. I live on 2 1/2 acres on the prairie and we don't have fire hydrants out here. I keep thinking I should buy a small trailer that I could load up with a few essentials. One of those "peace of mind" things.

Like Karuuna, I am really pissed that some of these fires were started by knotheads having an illegal campfire. This is not new - there has been a ban on campfires for a while now. We are in the worst drought conditions this state has ever seen in something like 200 years. Yet, we still have people watering their grass til the water runs down the street, there are still morons throwing lit cigarette butts out their cars (last I checked most cars came with an ashtray) and then you have the campers lighting campfires at the expense of burning people out of their homes. Chances are they won't catch the people who lit these last fires - they rarely do.

Two weeks ago, I saw a woman throw a lit cigarette butt out of her car. I was going the wrong direction or I would have turned around and followed her. One of the guys I work with is married to one of the Red Cross chapter leaders in this area. He has barely seen her the past 2 weeks. He said they called her away Sunday and she will probably be gone til next weekend. He was bummed yesterday because with all the fires going around us, he also saw someone throw out a lit butt on the way to work. We work about 12 miles east of Colorado Springs - nothing out there but lots and lots of dry grass.

I think some state passed a law a few weeks ago that had a $10,000 fine for throwing a lit cigarette out a car. Illinois or Indiana? Not sure. Yesterday, Governor Owens issued a ban on selling fireworks now but for some reason they can still be bought. I'm not sure how that works.

I am watching CBS evening news and they just said that three more fires broke out in Colorado today and they believe them to be caused by arson. <comments not fit to print>

It feels like our whole state is on fire :(

Whoami

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 04:51 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
It does feel like our whole state is on fire. I don't think a day has gone by that there wasn't some fire going on in Colorado.

The idiots that started the campfire just infuriate me. I actually have a sister like that (not the one I talked about in the Legal Issues over Custody thread). She doesn't think rules apply to her, or at least she just ignores them if they inconvenience her.

For instance, the Pearl Street Mall (an open air street with lots of shops) has a rule of no dogs allowed. When her sheltie was alive, she loved him so much he had to be with her all the time. So, she walked him on the mall cause she didn't want to be without him (or leave him in the car). Another time, we went to watch a friend of hers at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in an equestrian event. There was a big sign, "No Dogs." Naturally, she had her dog with her. I pointed it out to her, and she said if anyone stopped her, she'd just say she didn't see it, otherwise, as long as she doesn't get stopped, it's okay to walk him there (she got stopped).

I can just see these people with the campfire. "I want to cook a hotdog (or whatever). Those rules are just for idiots that don't know how to be careful. I'm so super intelligent, and I know how to be careful, so that no campfire rule doesn't apply to me." I wonder what they're thinking now.

Gail

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 04:58 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
87,000 Acres have burned now. They just said on the news that lightning stuck in Black Forest and started another fire (I think that is about 20 - 25 - north of me) it is cloudy out here now (can't tell how much is smoke and how much is clouds though) but the weather report is saying we probably won't get any rain. They said there is a chance of rain on Thursday.

Faerygdds

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 05:09 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Hey Gail....

I used to live up in Cascade... I heard there was a fire up there a few weeks ago. I never heard about damage though. Do you know how bad it was? I heard that they evacuated Cascade on one side, but I don't know which. Please help.. my mother in law is my source and she is to say the least VERY unreliable in the news relaying department. (It may be a language thing. English IS her second language)

Thanks... :)

Faerygdds

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 05:12 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Wait.. I just read a little more.. Black Forest is on FIRE???! My husband is going to be so not happy when he gets home... keep the news coming. :)

Gail

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 05:23 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Faerygdds - I can't find anything about Cascade - I found this link which might be helpful though - it looks like the US Forestry Service for Colorado - they have information on fires.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/psicc/fire/index.shtml

Faerygdds

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 05:58 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks for the link!

Seamonkey

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 07:00 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
My thoughts are with all of you..

Weiner I didn't realize you lived near Saugus!!

Not that close to me but.. still... (I'm down in OC in Fountain Valley)

I lived in Cleveland National Forest for 10 years and our canyon (Modjeska) had never burned.. scary.. and even with posted NO SMOKING EVEN IN CARS signs and fire closures, there were some really really selfish people..

Myjohnhenry

Tuesday, June 11, 2002 - 07:45 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I used to live in Glenwood Springs, where one of the other big fires is and did live there the last time Storm King Mt. was on fire and 14 firefighters died. More people have lost there homes in this fire and I used to know people who lived in the sections particularly hard hit and others in the evacuated areas.
I was going to head there for vacation soon...first Glenwood, then Colorado Springs, then up to Denver and Ft. Collins. Gonna cancel the trip now...had enough trouble with asthma and allergies this year without dealing with all the fires....and you know there will be more since it is early yet. Oh well...there is always next year.

Whoami

Wednesday, June 12, 2002 - 01:15 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Just thought I'd share the site I found with a map of the fires.

Colorado Fires.

Max

Wednesday, June 12, 2002 - 05:11 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks, Whoami.
I'm SO ignorant on geography that it's truly pathetic. I was going to search tonight for a Colorado map to see where Boulder is in relation to the Hayman fire as I have an aunt and cousin who live there (my aunt is in an alzheimer's care unit). Now I don't have to surf! :)

Hope they get that big one under control soon. I cannot imagine what it must be like to live that close to it, much less be tasked to try and put it out.

All because of one careless camper with an illegal campfire

Whit4you

Wednesday, June 12, 2002 - 07:02 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Time for a TVCH bucket brigade!!! We could do our miles... lose our weight AND visit our colorado friends - oh ya and kick this fires butt. :)

Gail

Wednesday, June 12, 2002 - 07:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
East of Colorado Springs, we got a tiny bit of rain last night and this evening we are having some severe thunderstorms. I don't know if any of the rain is getting to the fires but it is raining around here. The good side of that is that hopefully some of us will get enough moisture to hopefully prevent any more fires from starting from lightning strikes. We can't deal with anymore big fires now. Tomorrow is our best chance for significant rain.

Seamonkey

Wednesday, June 12, 2002 - 07:09 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I fervently hope so, Gail.. rain rain and more rain.

Webkitty

Wednesday, June 12, 2002 - 07:33 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Gail, and eveyone else in Colorado:

Lots of ~rainy~ thoughts coming your way

Seriously, we have them here too, and its not a joking matter, my thoughts are with you all.

Gail

Wednesday, June 12, 2002 - 07:35 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Well, not only is it pouring rain here, it is hailing like crazy - about 1 inch size hail. Me, I am not complaining - not one little bit. Now if it would just go west where it is really needed . . .

Gail

Sunday, June 16, 2002 - 03:50 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Forester Charged In Colorado Blaze

This makes me sick!! Whatever they do to this person will not be enough - I think the should take her to the shelters where people have been evacuated too and face them.

I got this off of CBS's news site - http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/06/07/national/main511546.shtml

Forester Charged In Colorado Blaze

June 15, 2002

Fire information officer Keith Riordan shows direction flames took from campfire ring in Hayman Gulch area that authorities believe is fire's starting point (AP)


Local media reports said it could take all summer to completely douse the fire, which has cost about $20 million so far to contain

The Hayman burns in Pike National Forest near Deckers, Colo. (AP)

(CBS) The U.S. Forest Service announced Sunday that one of its own has been charged with starting the raging wildfire southwest of Denver. Terry Barton, 38, was arrested Sunday, Bill Leone, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for Colorado, said. She was patrolling the area where the fire started, Leone said.

``We feel horrible about this,'' Rick Cables of the Forest Service told reporters on Sunday. ``It's a tragic situation.''

Barton admitted to starting a campfire while patrolling the forest to enforce a fire ban, said Bill Leone of the U.S. Attorney's Office. The Hayman fire started 10 days ago, and has burned 25 homes and consumed about 103,000 acres.

Colorado Governor, Bill Owens, said, ``the act should not detract from the fine work of the U.S. Forest Service.''Barton was charged with setting fire to timber in the national forest, damaging federal property in excess of $100,000 and making false statements to investigators, Leone said.

“She attempted to suppress the fire but it grew,” Leone said.

If convicted, Barton could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. She was arrested Sunday morning; it was not immediately clear whether she had an attorney.

“I want to begin by saying, this is one of the hardest announcements I've had to make in my career,” said Rick Cables, regional forester for the Rocky Mountain Region for the U.S. Forest Service.

“I'm shocked and with a lot of other people, in a state of disbelief,” Cables said. “I'm saddened to say that one of our employees has admitted to starting the Hayman fire.”

Firefighters gained ground Sunday on the wildfire that had burned within 40 miles of Denver city limits since it was started June 8, threatening southwestern suburbs.

With the blaze about 35 percent contained, about 5,400 people remained out of their homes. It was one of seven fires burning in the state Sunday.

Scattered puffs of smoke could be seen on mountainsides once totally obscured by smoke.

“Hopefully, this fire is going to now stay essentially where it is at,” said Bobby Kitchens, a fire information officer. “We don't expect to see any more significant acreage gains.”

Sheriff's deputies escorted some residents to retrieve belongings and assess damage, but didn't allow them to stay. Frustrated residents waited at the command post, trying to learn when they'll be able to return for good.

“It started to get to be a long period because one of the big things is I don't like eating out. I miss cooking at home,” said Bob James, 46, who has been out of his home north of Lake George since Tuesday.

Another blaze flared in southwest Colorado and forced the evacuation of more than 330 homes. The latest fire had burned more than 20,000 acres in the San Juan National Forest by Sunday morning.

In addition to the evacuations, residents of 450 homes were told to be ready to leave. One cabin was destroyed, and fire managers were trying to determine whether others had burned.

More than 900 firefighters battled the blaze, about 10 miles north of Durango.

Higher humidity and slightly cooler temperatures also helped crews battling fires in northern New Mexico. The state's largest blaze, which has blackened 92,500 acres on the Philmont Scout Ranch, was 75 percent contained and full containment is expected Wednesday.

©MMII, CBS Worldwide Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press and Reuters Limited contributed to this report.

Spygirl

Sunday, June 16, 2002 - 04:11 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
very sad

Juju2bigdog

Sunday, June 16, 2002 - 04:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
amazing

Webkitty

Sunday, June 16, 2002 - 04:38 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
terrible