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 ...
SE wind, 15 mph, gust 21 (AF Academy station).
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.