Posted on 06/13/2013 9:26:09 AM PDT by CedarDave
El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa says at least 360 homes are complete losses -- numbers he calls "shocking" -- and another 14 are damaged as firefighters prepare to face another "red flag" day fighting the Black Forest fire.
The destruction of homes ranks the Black Forest fire as the worst wildfire in Colorado history, surpassing the 347 homes destroyed by the Waldo Canyon fire last June in the Mountain Shadows neighborhood of Colorado Springs.
It also ranks atop the list for most forced evacuations. Maketa said 38,000 people have been forced from their homes by the Black Forest fire, again exceeding the 32,000 evacuated from Colorado Springs during the Waldo Canyon fire.
Maketa has no update on a missing person report filed Wednesday. Attempts to investigate the report are being hampered by intense fire.
"I have not heard of a report of injuries and no information on fatalities at this time," Maketa said.
As for today, the fire remains completely out of control and likely will as long as winds gusting to 40 mph whip it every direction, he said.
"We're not at a point where we can declare containment," Maketa said.
He said the prospect of winds in the 30 mph range with gusts to 35 mph today make prospects for containment doubtful, he said.
The goal today will be to stop its spread to the west and northwest where affluent Colorado Springs neighborhoods and the communities of Woodmoor and Monument sit.
"Those are going to be the priorities," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at gazette.com ...
LIVE UPDATES: A 'shocking' 360 homes 'complete losses' as fight resumes in Black Forest fire north of Colorado
SpringsPictures, updates, Twitter at the link
If you had less than an hour to get all of your irreplaceable possessions loaded up and out of the house, what would you take? Photographs, guns, ammo, computers, personal documents. What else?
Guns and my motorcycles.
Guns and ammo because you’d be fighting the insurance company over them. Unless you list them separately (and pay), they will deny the claim.
Life is always better with clean underwear ans socks. Prescription medicine. The kids.
From an earlier link:
10:40 p.m. The Elbert County Sheriff's Office reports a Noah's Ark at their fairgrounds.
"Elbert County Fairgrounds remains open with space for evacuees and animals. Total count of animals currently at the Fairgrounds is as follows: 28 chickens; 216 horses, 5 drafts/14 foals; 5 cows, 2 calves; 27 Alpacas; 14 dogs; 25 cats; 22 goats; 1 ducks; 4 burros; 2 guinea pigs; 3 sheep; 19 miniature horses; 19 mules; 8 lamas; 3 stallions; 1 yak."
http://gazette.com/live-updates-black-forest-fire-near-colorado-springs-rages-toward-douglas-elbert-counties/article/1502210
As of Wednesday night there were also 833 evacuated residents at the Elbert County Fairgrounds.
My daughters baby blanket, favorite doll, meds, and our picture’s negatives, important paper box (titles, will, insurance information etc), a keepsake my motherIL gave to my husband before she died, and a necklace my Mom gave me....then I walked out the door.
It is amazing when you stand in the living room looking at all the stuff and realize nothing really matters if your family is safe.
If Gov. Chicken****er had told the enviro whacko wilderness types to go away, and instituted reasoned forest management practices, the fuel load would be far less.
Environmentalism is a socio-political movement with a flavor of science. Forestry is a science. Differences are important.
Oh, make sure the ‘forestry’ based management plan is not infected with “enviro” or “wilderness” premises. Otherwise, it is just another version of environmentalism.
pets would be at the head of the list
Wonder how much dead trees and underbrush were there to keep the fires going so hot.
It used to be that forests had dead timber cleared out but then the enviros threw a snit so it was stopped in some areas.
If this was the case, wonder how many of the former home owners feel about making the enviros happy.
What you say is true, but here the fire started in forest areas where homes have been built. You have homes constructed in and under pines 100 to 200 feet high. In areas surrounding the homes you have spindly pine thickets that have not been thinned, mostly the responsibility of the landowner. Combined with forest litter, drought conditions, drying winds and high temperatures, it was literally a tinderbox awaiting ignition.
As one of the evacuated, I am sure this fire will get much worse, before all is said and done. If the winds pick up today like yesterday easily another 50 homes, if the wind blows west and jumps CO83 the numbers will be staggering.
From what I understand, this was the issue last year.
Good question. DaveyB, you know?
El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa also stated there are 79 homes they haven’t been able to check on and don’t know their status because of the intensity of the fire.
Also, it’s 0% contained.
I remember last year seeing pictures of a whole lot of the West decimated by the pine beetle turning whole forests brown. This was bound to happen.
360 homes is a lot of homes particularly in rural areas.
Pre-evacuation ordered for GlenEagle area.
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