Posted on 06/27/2012 4:39:06 AM PDT by Colofornian
Among the Colorado wildfires drawing national attention today, the Waldo Canyon fire in Colorado Springs poses an immediate threat to the Navigators’ Glen Eyrie Conference Center and Eagle Lake Camp properties. The blaze...was only at 5 percent containment...
Hundreds of workers are currently on the ground battling the blaze, which has burned down an Eagle Lake tent platform and come dangerously close to its barn, auto shop, and maintenance director’s home.
“They’ve been praying God would raise walls of protection around the camp,” said Melissa Anderson, a 24-year-old Glen Eyrie resident and friend of Eagle Lake’s maintenance directors. “Apparently, the fire went through the barn area and auto shop and came all the way up to their house, where the firefighters are fighting it off now. They're trying hard to save the camp and the buildings.”
Fortunately, there were no campers Saturday when the blaze broke out, as the camp is now surrounded on three sides by walls of flame. The horses on Eagle Lake property were set loose to run free for fear the flames and smoke would eventually consume them, and the fire currently looms on the lip of the canyon above the Glen Eyrie property...
High winds pose a significant challenge to the fire’s containment, but firefighters are currently on the ground at Eagle Lake and throughout El Paso County, fending off flames that threaten to consume the camp and surrounding woodlands.
...Anderson said. “You can see the flames moving across the ridge -- it’s spreading like crazy.”
Evacuated Navigators employees are currently working out of Focus on the Family’s offices, located several miles northeast of the blaze. The cause of the fire is still unknown, though some sources on the ground suspect arson (ABC News & Paul Asay, CT contributor).
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.christianitytoday.com ...
Full Sub-head: Well-known Glen Eyrie castle evacuated; camp horses allowed to run free
Pray for the West -- especially for rain. New Mexico has had its fires of late; June has hit Colorado hard -- and Utah as well...
Wildfires explode across Front Range:
* High Park Fire near Ft. Collins (Co) now estimated over 87,000 acres -- 257 homes destroyed ... still only 55% containment after weeks of battle (see above Post link for a specific link to this blaze)
Per my regional contacts, the Colorado Springs area fire had sudden Tuesday gusts of 55-60 mph winds that took the fire down a drainage area near Glen Eyrie...Article I'm posting here is from yesterday -- and burst into Northwest part of Colorado Springs occurred late yesterday afternoon...no word yet (that I've heard) about the Navigators' main facilities...including the Castle.
Per the Denver Post as to what occurred yesterday: An apocalyptic plume of smoke covered Colorado's second-largest city as thousands of people forced to evacuate clogged Interstate 25 at rush hour trying to get to their homes or to get out of the way. By nightfall, roughly 32,000 people left their homes, chased out by the flames.
Source: Colorado wildfires: Several fires explode across Front Range
What I've heard from those in that area:
* More neighborhoods were under mandatory evacuation after that 32,000-figure was given last night. The 32,000 included a section of the Air Force Academy...the nearby army base, Ft. Carson, has welcomed the Air Force Academy refugees.
* This has become the nation's #1 firefight...additional fire-fighting resources converged on Colorado Springs from other Southern CO communities...approaching 1,000 firefighters in the area (pray for them)
* Also, a ministry that has been a part of the city for 60 years -- The Flying W Ranch -- burned to the ground Tuesday ... in the most devastated part of the city: WALDO CANYON FIRE: Flying W Ranch burns to ground
From the article: The cause of the fire is still unknown, though some sources on the ground suspect arson (ABC News & Paul Asay, CT contributor).
Note: An arsonist or arsonists plural is/are suspected by some to have started this blaze -- simply because about 20 fires were set West of Colorado Springs prior to this fire...including about five the day before this fire; also, other suspicious fires have cropped up West and South of Colorado Springs since the fire started.
Also a fire broke out in foothills near Boulder Tuesday...2500 people have been placed on pre-evacuation notice in South Boulder.
Pray for weather changes. I know Denver has had five straight days of over 100-degree weather; I'm told Colorado Springs has had similar temps and is about in the middle of a dozen-day run of temps in the 90s to 100s. Little rain expected. And more winds today that could push more of the fire into the heart of the North part of that city.
Please also pray for the firefighters in Utah -- and any further homes at risk in Utah:
* Two pilots fighting a Utah fire died three weeks ago in a crash: Air tanker crashes fighting Utah fire; 2 dead
More on Utah fires:
* More than 4,000 acres burned in out-of-control Church Camp Fire
* Wood Hollow Fire Nearly 37-Thousand Acres
I will pray - I’ve stayed in the Glen Eyrie castle - its a lovely place!!
Why hasn’t Obama shown up for his photo op?
Oh yeah, there’s too much golf and fund raising in his schedule.
If the fires in the west are ignored, surely these states will toast Obama in the fall.
At least they didn't pray a hedge of protection. Tim Hawkins would be proud.
People had been questioning why a 4K acre fire that hadn't burned any structures or injured anyone was #1 priority when other fires had gone 80K+ acres and destroyed 250 homes etc. This is why, the potential (now unfortunately being realized) for massive destruction.
Isolated thunderstorms predicted for today. Good/bad news. Rain on the fire or in front of it would help. Rain where it has burned can't be held by now non-existent vegetation and will cause flash floods. Dry lightning will only spark additional fires in the red-flag warning areas. (a dry winter, a week or more of 90+ deg temps, < 10% relative humidity, and winds...)
Prayers up.
I have had friends evacuated who lived near the Air Force Academy. He said it was like the movies, he could see his house nearly looking like it exploded with fire in the rear view mirror.
He is safe and so are the kids.
We prayer for Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and as I understand it now Arizona.
God have Mercy on these states.
Our local news has said the government agencies responsible for sending those air tankers (sorry can’t remember the official name) are being delayed because environmentalist are stopping the use of the stuff that is released to stop the fires. Why because a creek might be impacted.
I wonder what they will do first rain when the creeks are full of slush and mud.
prayers outbound!
Per Gary Contwell of the Navigators' ministry, the fire got to the hill behind Glen Eyrie, but did not proceed further!
Thanks to all for cont'd prayers!
Winds could range 20-35 mph from the West this afternoon in Colorado Springs -- bringing the threat from the mountains to the West down upon Colorado Springs today.
Please pray for those in this city this afternoon -- and for all up & down the Front Range enduring fires!
Prayer ping
Prayer request ping
600 of the evacuated homes -- over 2,000 people -- are from the Southern section of the Air Force Academy...
My son and daughter in law live up there and we have been in prayer for days already. They sent some pictures. What a site!
obamas gonna pop by tomorrow (Friday) to ommiserate with the peasants and remind everyone he’s in charge and the firefighters are working for him
then will be on his way to a weekend of fundraising in luxury settings with really rich cool white people
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