Colorado wildfires

3ofusnow · 06-29-2012, 09:13 PM

Is anyone near the area of the Colorado wildfires? I don't know anyone in the area personally, but some friends of ours have family there. The pictures they have posted are just devastating. I hope they get some rain or are otherwise able to get them under control soon.

Grandpa · 06-29-2012, 11:29 PM

Son has been breathing smoke for two weeks now at Ft Collins. So they are headed for the nice fresh air here tonight.

But we had a fire about a mile from me this week, burned about 500 acres of Junipers and sage.

A fire started near Pocatello, Id yesterday at 2:30 pm and by this morning had taken out 66 homes and is going strong.

This is early in the year for wildfires. We normally don't start getting them until the end of July. Gonna be a hot summer for sure.

Pathfinder1 · 06-30-2012, 10:34 AM

Hi...

Horrible scenarios all around.

I think that at times like this that the National Guard should be activated for back-up.

I'd (and so would others) like to know what started each fire. Utah's Governor stated that most/some of them were started by target shooters. Unless those "target shooters" all tossed their lit cigarettes into the dry tinder, I think that someones' legs are being pulled. Bullets...ricocheted or otherwise...cannot start fires by themselves.

This excludes incindiary (tracer) rounds, firing into the dry tinder at your feet, or those "exploding" targets, of course.

Also, many...if not most...of the aircraft used to fight those fires are woefully outdated, and greatly lessened through attrition.

Woefully inadequate resources...even their "lifesaving" Forestry tents have caused many deaths in the past, and have since been redesigned. Don't know if there are enough of the newer ones to go around, either (I'd sure hate to have to depend on one).

Grandpa · 06-30-2012, 11:00 AM

The fire near me was caused by a guy pulling a trailer up the road and had a chain dragging. He actually started 4 fires in a two mile stretch, just from the sparks. Yes, I find that hard to believe but that is the story a deputy told me. The one in Poctello was human caused, possibly fireworks but they are not sure of that.

I heard the Colorado Springs fire was definately arson with 10 or 12 ignition points. The Harriman fire in Utah is adjacent to Camp Williams. They had a huge fire start last year at Camp Williams and it was attributed to machine gun firing during training. I suppose if their governor is anti-gun, that would give him an excuse to blame all fires on guns. Don't know about that though.

ppine · 06-30-2012, 11:31 AM

The current drought is responsible for in large part the number and especially the severity of fires in CO,NM,MT,WY and ID. Do not believe the people that want to blame it on global warming, climate change, or careless people. When live fuel moisture is below 5-6 % and the rel humidity is under 15 % with high winds, there is little we can do to stop fires. Protection of life and property are the priorities. It is going to get worse. And equipment and manpower is already stretched pretty thin. July and August will provide a lot of overtime for fire fighters. Do you part to remove fuels from around your house and be careful with fire. Carry a shovel and a celll phone. Report unsafe practices. I hope we get thru the 4th of July without incident.

oldsarge · 06-30-2012, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grandpa

Son has been breathing smoke for two weeks now at Ft Collins. So they are headed for the nice fresh air here tonight.

Grandpa, is Ft. Collins a town near Colorado Springs? I have been to Fort Carson before but I'm not aware of Ft Collins.

Grandpa · 06-30-2012, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldsarge

Grandpa, is Ft. Collins a town near Colorado Springs? I have been to Fort Carson before but I'm not aware of Ft Collins.

No, Ft Collins is about 80 miles north of Denver. They have had a massive fire just west of there for about two weeks.

Marshmallow · 06-30-2012, 04:43 PM

We have a brother-in-law who used to live in Ft. Collins, and it has been his retirement dream to move back there from eastern NC. He's within 5 years of retiring. I wonder if he'll change his mind now.

Grandpa · 06-30-2012, 10:24 PM

A website to follow all the major fires in the country

National Interagency Fire Center

monde · 07-02-2012, 03:24 AM

I hope everyone affected by the fire in Colorado have already evacuated for their safety. I have a childhood friend that relocated there ever since she got married, called her up and I was relieved to hear that she's safe.