40,000 Might Be Ordered to Evacuate as Wildfire Advances on Denver

FoxNews.com ^ | 6/10/02 | Fox News

[Wolfstar]

DENVER, Colo.

[Wolfstar]

Prayers for all in the Denver area that this does not grow into the major disaster it threatens to become. Any FReepers in the Denver area who can update us?

[chance33_98]

Also here

BREAKING NEWS: 40,000 Evacuated Near Wildfire
KTVB

Posted on 6/10/02 4:22 PM Eastern by chance33_98



BREAKING NEWS: 40,000 Evacuated Near Wildfire 
06/10/2002 

By JENNIFER HAMILTON, Associated Press Writer

DENVER, Colo. -- A wind-whipped wildfire prompted authorities to order the evacuation of up to 40,000 people Monday from their homes along the southwestern edge of the Denver metropolitan area.

The 61,000-acre fire roared to within 10 miles of residential neighborhoods.

Firefighters were pulled off the lines because it was too dangerous, and a mandatory evacuation was ordered from homes near Roxborough State Park, the U.S. Forest Service said.

The fire was started by an illegal campfire Saturday in Pike National Forest 55 miles southwest of Denver.

The fire was one of at least eight burning in Colorado, including an 8,300-acre blaze that destroyed 24 homes and sent residents fleeing in Glenwood Springs, near Storm King Mountain.

It was 5 percent contained Monday as airplanes resumed bombing the flames with retardant. The fire destroyed 40 structures, including 24 homes. About 3,000 residents were ordered to evacuate over the weekend.

No injuries were reported at Glenwood Springs, but firefighters there were especially cautious because of memories of the Storm King fire that killed 14 firefighters on similarly dry, steep terrain in 1994.

Southwest of Denver, the fire doubled in size overnight Sunday. Nearly 300 firefighters were on the lines, and more crews were ordered into place. Four bombers and four helicopters dropped fire retardant and water.

A shift in winds lifted the yellow haze that hung over the Denver on Sunday, said Christopher Dann, a spokesman for the region's Air Pollution Control Division.

Campfires have been banned in national forests and most counties because of severe drought.

[chance33_98]

If you get any updates please post! Have not found much on this story yet.

[RoughDobermann]

Posted here

[chance33_98]

And here, and here, and there :) Well, at least that story was covered. So far though I have not seen a lot of detail from places - although CNN/FOX/Etc are now carrying the story.

[RoughDobermann]

Try a local local Denver station. They are on top of it.

[Wolfstar]

The FoxNews.com story is the latest one I've seen, which is why I posted it rather than tacked it onto the other threads. I'm at work in the L.A. area and can't get any broadcast news. When I went home for lunch, there was nothing on TV about this out here. I was hoping others might know more.

[Wolfstar]

Thanks for the local Denver link.

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[OldFriend]

AP broke the news that 40,000 were being evacuated.

The Governor was on FNC and knew nothing about any such order to evacuate.

AP trying to make news!!!!! What a shock!!!

Notice the story has now changed to MIGHT be ordered to evacuate.

The fire is not near the city of Denver at the moment.

Pray that this fire is contained!

[Wolfstar]

Thanks, OldFriend. The headline on the FoxNews website front page is "Fire Advances on Denver." Sounds very ominous, so I wanted to offer my prayers to those in the fire's path.

[goright]

This is a good source of information re: the latest situation www.9news.com/storyfull.asp?id=3638

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Denvers' Channel 9

[colorado tanker]

Well, "Fire Advances on Denver" is much more of an attention getter than "Fire Advances on Roxborough State Park"!

[Pylot]

Not to hype the situation but this is the largest fire in the recorded history of Colorado.

The Hayman fire is now over 76,000 acres burned. That is well over 40 miles long and 10 miles wide. There is a 7000 acre fire in Glenwood Springs, a 6000 acre fire in Durango and a couple of other fires going.

If the winds keep up the Hayman fire is expected to hit over 100,000 acres by tomorrow morning.

I write from Denver. As I write, ashes are falling on my house and car and I am over 60 miles north of the fire. The sky is overcast with smoke and the setting sun is an orange ball.

To all reading this, I am praying for a shift of wind to the south and a little rain, won't you please join me?

[buffyt]

My father-in-law lives in Golden, near Denver. He is 82. I hope he is OK! I am sure he is seeing and smelling smoke, like we have been here in Claremont, Ca. due to all the fires we have had out here lately in So. Cal. Will call him today and make sure he is OK.

[RightWhale]

Alaska has fires of 60,000, 80,000, 100,000 acres all the time, usually several at once. Most are natural, but one near town a couple weeks ago was deliberately set - arson.

[Wolfstar]

Hope your father-in-law has someone to help him if he needs it. Even without direct danger from the fire, itself, all that soot in the air is bad for the very young and the elderly. If he doesn't have anyone, you might want to consider contacting the authorities in Golden to see if someone can go check on him.

[Wolfstar]

You have my prayers, Pylot, plus my best wishes for your family, friends and yourself. If anyone in your family has asthma, chronic bronchitis or similar problems, you might want to get them a breathing filter if they have to go outside for any length of time.

[OldFriend]

Prayers for everyone threatened by these fires. Evidently one of the fires in CO was caused by an illegal campfire. That should be a hanging offense, IMO!!!