Catastrophic wildfire

[+Typhoid 231]

Since at least one person asked,

 

A catastrophic wildfire that has threatened Colorado Springs since Saturday got a good bit of wind behind it and jumped two containment lines late yesterday afternoon. I had a clear view of the unfolding disaster from my office about 10 miles away. We could see the flames engulf the mountainside without the need for scopes or binoculars. The entire side of the mountain that “the scar” resides on was completely engulfed in less than 10 minutes and that firestorm then went into the western suburbs.

 

For those who have been here and are familiar with the area; Mountain Shadows was hit hard and the Flying W is no more. Rampart Reservoir is encircled and Farish Recreation Area is threatened (next). Some of our friends we know have lost their homes. Many others are evacuated. The city north of Garden of The Gods Road and west of I-25, up to and including the AF Academy, is under Mandatory Evacuation. About 32,000 people are presently displaced/evacuated. That's about a quarter of Colorado Springs.

 

Today looks like it will be another very bad day with extreme fire conditions and a catastrophic wildfire only 5% contained. The line is holding at highway 24 and the ridge above Garden of the Gods/Cedar Heights for now, but it is tenuous. The line is holding at Centennial Blvd north of the Garden of the Gods road. Additional evacuations are being announced now over the radio all the way up to Monument and north into the next county. Woodland Park is now being evacuated. Parts of the Air Force Academy are on fire.

 

We are all a long way from the fire for the moment. It would have to burn through most of Colorado Springs and jump I-25 to get to us.

 

A couple of pictures from last night.

 

Keep those evacuated and the firefighters in your prayers. Pray for RAIN!!

[+hgbn 91]

OOOOhhhh Man Terrible. Hope anyone is okay. Fires this size gone wild can cost a lot of casualties

[Derk 265]

Looks horrible... good luck there Typhoid !!!!

[warthog64 92]

This year has been terrible for wildfires in Colorado, the lack of snow and precipitation in the past year has caused insanely dry conditions and hopefully some help will arrive soon from mother nature. I can't believe the size of the Waldo Canyon fire and how close it has come to Colorado Springs and the USAF Academy. It's crazy how much damage one bolt of lightning can bring. The enormous Hayman fire of 2002 was mostly in areas with very little population, this year the fires have spread in areas full of people and structures and I'm hoping for the best and a fast conclusion to these devastating fires. I'm wishing for the best of luck to all who have been affected by these fires.

Edited June 27, 2012 by warthog64

[MigBuster 2,884]

What a complete nightmare - stay safe

[JediMaster 451]

I wish I could send you some of ours. TS Debby has made this area a soggy mess.

[+Typhoid 231]

I wish I could send you some of ours. TS Debby has made this area a soggy mess.

 

We could definitely use some of that here right about now!

[+Dave 2,322]

Keep us informed Ty. I tried to send you an email from work but it bounced.

[Viggen 643]

Wow, some of the photos I took when I was in Colorado last August had that mountain in the first picture as their backdrop.

 

Hope everyone gets through the fire safe and that rain comes soon!

[+Stary 2,427]

Terror! It was all over the news here, looks as hell! Keep safe there guys!

[FastCargo 412]

Y'all be careful out there...

 

Just found this pic of what it looked like from my old college...I just can't imagine this:

 

 

Apparently, the USAFA has been evacuated...which I believe is a first.

 

FC

[+ST0RM 145]

It's crazy how much damage one bolt of lightning can bring.

 

From what storm? They havent had any precip in a few weeks prior to the fire.

 

I spoke with a friend in C Springs yesterday and it's believed to have been started by people. Since most hikers dont smoke, possibly on purpose? Another friend of mine from work here, was there the exact day it started and took some of the first photos of it from his hotel. Again, not a cloud in the sky.

 

Hopefully the winds die down and cooperate, allowing the fire teams to get this put out.

[+Typhoid 231]

correct - not lightning. I went into a store on Saturday and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. When I came out 15 minutes later - that slow motion nuclear detonation was climbing into the sky and the fight was on.

 

The fire started on a popular hiking trail - the supposition is that it was caused either intentionally or accidently by someone. The authorities have so far been careful to say they have no evidence supporting the suspicion that it was man-made - but they have no evidence period since they can't get in there yet. Of note, the FBI are also here to investigate this.

 

Also of note, there is a serial arsonist running around setting fires in the neighboring county - just hasn't been caught yet. That supports the suspicion that someone may have set this deliberately.

 

But we don't know yet and won't until the fire burns out and the investigators can get into where it started.

 

The AF Academy still kept some people in, but evacuated all families from the housing areas and all non-essential personnel. Some cadets were still here in preparation for the start of the next induction of Doolies which is today. Most of the cadets here have been placed with sponsor families in the unevacuated part of town. It will be interesting to see how the induction proceeds today.

 

Today is better so far. Cooler, little wind and the skies are a lot clearer. The firefighters are making good progress today in holding and expanding the containment lines. No additional evacuations overnight but no areas have been opened back up yet. Estimate is that several hundred homes were lost.

 

Thankfully; no one has been killed or injured.

[FastCargo 412]

Thankfully; no one has been killed or injured.

 

Considering the pure magnitude of the fires...it's amazing that is still the case. Let's hope it stays that way!!

 

FC

[FalconC45 158]

My ex gf lives in Colorado Springs. I haven't heard from her yet, hope shes ok. And I'm praying for rain... Keep us inform ok?

 

Falcon

[+Typhoid 231]

For those who have been here, Stanley Canyon just went up.

 

Overall a quiet day so far, good progress on containment in most areas but the fires in the foothills on the AF Academy plantation are going up and Woodland Park is now completing evacuations/is threatened.

 

Dry lightning now coming in.

[+Typhoid 231]

Aerial photos of the destruction. 347 homes destroyed, one fatality found overnight in the rubble who didn't make it out when the firestorm came in. Several still missing, probable fatalities. Two looters caught overnight.

 

http://www.gazette.c...ow/?id=14963560

 

I have long referred to such firestorm as a slow-motion, low yield nuclear weapon in terms of energy and destruction. That is exactly what I saw (from 10 miles away) and the devastation shown at the link support that.

 

This is now the most destructive fire in the history of Colorado, and combined with the other fires in Colorado this is the most destructive fire season with over 500 homes destroyed in the last few weeks.

[+Dave 2,322]

My god that looks like a city after a WWII bombing raid.

[+hgbn 91]

Horrible just horrible

[Canadair 16]

Where are firefighting planes when you need them? Seeing this makes my hands itchy to fly and bomb it it water..Wish I was closer.. and not on the other side of the world

I know very well the disasters of wildfire.

You are all in my prayers

[+Typhoid 231]

The firefighting planes have been in action since the first hours of the fire. 3 C-130 MAFF's have been flying on this fire since Monday. They were flying a non-stop shuttle on the day of the firestorm and have (at last count) over 60 drops on this fire.

 

On the good news - they are getting ahead of it now.

[Atreides 144]

http://www.gazette.c...ow/?id=14963560

 

The scale of destruction's immense.

[+ST0RM 145]

Just heard that a MAFFS C-130 went down on Sunday.

 

Here is what I could find so far:

http://www.gazette.com/news/colorado-141079-year-old.html

 

Hopes for the crew.

[MigBuster 2,884]

Oh no - hope they are all okay!

 

 

Is the fire finally coming under control yet?

[+Typhoid 231]

The Waldo Canyon fire is coming under control, still aways to go yet.

 

Details on the MAFF'S crash are stil sketchy but it sounds as if there may only be 2 or 3 survivors out 6.

 

Edited July 2, 2012 by Typhoid