Colorado Wildfires

[Sharon E.]

My mom and stepdad got word today they might get to go home tomorrow and I hope they don't get their hopes up. It is so very sad this situation. As Lilo said the heat is very unusual for Colorado this time of year. In Greeley yesterday it was 106, man was it hot. My DH and I are leaving for Ohio tomorrow to see a grandbaby who turns one and apparently we are taking the HOT weather with us and, of course, the humidity will already be there. It will be great to get away, and maybe I will lose some weight sweating.

Thanks for all the well wishes. Lilo I was thinking of you when the Waldo Canyon fire started. Glad to hear you are ok.

Hugs, Sharon

[Kathryn S.]

I hp0e and pray that all of you in Colorado stay safe and they get the fires out soon. Living in southern California, we've gone through similar fires and it is terrifying. Cooler weather would help the firefighters, I hope that you get some very soon.

Kathy

[Robin G.]

Sharon and Lilo, thank you for the reports. Please keep giving us reports. The news sources don't provide enough information. Prayers for all those affected by these horrid fires, and prayers too for the hardworking firefighters!!!
Sharon, have a great (and safe!) trip, and hug your darling granddaughter for me! Big hugs, Robin

[Nancy R.]

Well, a new fire broke out this afternoon just southwest of Boulder. It isn't very large yet, just 200-300 acres, but it's in some tough terrain and is separated from Boulder by a single ridge. My company (National Center for Atmospheric Research) has a famous building in the foothills over there (designed by IM Pei) that they decided to evacuate this afternoon. It's not the building where I work, luckily, but several hundred others work there. They aren't under manditory evacution, but the president decided to evacuate anyway. Probably a good idea since there is only one small road that runs up there so if something happened it could be pretty bad. Just thought I'd pass that along since it's the latest.

Nancy

[Lois B.]

I am sending continuing prayers for all in harms way. Do everything you can to stay safe.

[Caroline A.]

Things are getting wild back there. We were in Colorado Springs for our granddaughter's graduation last month and visited many of the places we're hearing about now. Just heard from the kids that the Flying W Ranch burned. Sad to hear - we were just there for a dinner and show last month and it was a neat place. I'm now wondering about some of the other places we saw that are in the same general area. Praying that they can get a handle on all these fires and the weather will cooperate, cool off and wind die down. A little rain wouldn't hurt either.

[Diane F.]

If you really want to know about the fires, I'll give you an update on a few of them. There are many wildfires burning right now. The majority of Colorado is under a Red Flag Warning because of the extreme conditions. There is a state-wide ban on open burning, etc. We have had record high temperatures lately.

Even Colorado Springs had a record high temperature today and the Waldo Canyon fire is raging right now. More than 30,000 people are under mandatory evacuation in that area. People are being urged to stay with friends and family (hotels are FULL). Homes are burning in the Mountain Shadows area and The Flying W Ranch has been consumed by fire. My sister and her family live in Colorado Springs. They are sheltering friends who were evacuated the first day of the fire. My sister has been texting me and sending updates to me via Facebook.

There is the Flagstaff fire by Boulder. It is only one ridge away from the city.

The heat and the winds are causing problems for firefighters. The air at my house is smoky, but not as bad as this past weekend. It smelled like a giant ashtray...not great for asthma.

I have shared some photographs on Facebook. You don't have to "friend" me to see them, just subscribe to my public updates.

However, I am getting fire fatigue. I have to get electronic "downtime" and do something creative. Gardening is one outlet and sewing is another.

Diane Frank aka Dfrank27

[Sharon E.]

Diane - I hear you about fire fatigue. We were watching on TV about Colo. Sprgs. last night -- I hadn't heard about the Flying W Ranch, that is so very sad. We are leaving today for Kentucky/Ohio and very glad to get away. My parents are going home today also. Highway 14 opened up last night, so they are very excited, but still have my house key just in case. LOL

Apparently we are taking our heat with us to Kentucky along with the high humidity.

I will still be checking in. See you guys next week. Pray for rain and lots of it.

Sharon

[Diane F.]

Sharon,

Take care! I'll pray for you and your family. I hope that you have a pleasant time in Ohio and Kentucky. I have some dear friends that live in Kentucky. I'll see you back in Colorado in front of Sherry's quilt at 11 am!!!

Regards,

Diane

Diane - I hear you about fire fatigue. We were watching on TV about Colo. Sprgs. last night -- I hadn't heard about the Flying W Ranch, that is so very sad. We are leaving today for Kentucky/Ohio and very glad to get away. My parents are going home today also. Highway 14 opened up last night, so they are very excited, but still have my house key just in case. LOL

Apparently we are taking our heat with us to Kentucky along with the high humidity.

I will still be checking in. See you guys next week. Pray for rain and lots of it.

Sharon

[Joan D.]

Tonight the news reported that the Air Force base had to evacuate was that the beaqutiful base that Ricki and Alex showed in show 911, when they featured Jacqueline de Jonge and also Don Linn My heart is breaking for all those people I am praying for rain and cooler weather. Joan

[Margo C.]

Tough first week for the new cadets reporting today for basic training at the Air Force Academy!
http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/n...,5999339.story

[Dawn S.]

We used to own a big beautiful home in the Peregrin area (just north of the Shadow Mountain area) of Colorado Springs. I have been watching (through the media) the Waldo Canyon fire get closer and closer to it. The small sub-division borders the southwest end of the Airforce Academy. Today the fire burned a couple of friend's homes in that sub-division, and hopscotched to the short little road where our house is. According to the burn maps, the house we built is still there, but the fire did come within a few hundred feet of it. I would hate to lose another "past" home! One of the fires in 2007, in California, completely burned one of our homes, and the owners never made it out. Out of many, many thousands of acres that burned there were only two deaths. Very, very sad, and a bit emotional for me! I am keeping all of those who have lost homes, and the firefighters who have done an incredible job, in my prayers!

Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

[E.M. T.]

Dawn..I hear Montana has a big fire going ! Anywhere near you ? :shock:

[Lois B.]

Dawn, I am sure you are feeling it could have been me. It could have been many of us. I pray for those in harms way, for those who've lost homes, and for those who offer shelter. It reminds me not to take life and its small pleasures for granite and to work harder at being oblivious to minor annoyances. God Bless and Keep All of You!

[Lois B.]

These fires in Colorado made the 6 o'clock BBC news tonight. The power of nature out of our control is quite awesome, if not always nice for us.