Some shots from the Colorado High Park Fire

[Dave W]

Is it any closer to you?

[Pilgrim]

Is it any closer to you?

No, but today we drove to Denver and on the way back we could see the smoke plume laying right across Fort Collins.  From I-25 you can see the foothills about 4 miles west, and the smoke was so thick that as we drove north it looked like a fog bank laying across the town.  Tonight our eyes are itching from the smoke.

Winds are over 50 MPH and aircraft are grounded, the fire has covered 55,000 acres (over 85 square miles), and the count of destroyed homes is 181 and rising.  331 more homes have been evacuated, and 473 pre-evacuation orders have been given to areas in danger.

The Northwest side of the fire:



Here's a map of the burn area...I'm not sure what the dots indicate, but I think it's structures. Fort Collins is along the right side of the map, and the 7-mile reservoir just west of town can be seen.

[Highlander]

No map Al...?

[Pilgrim]

I can't find an updated map, but here's a summary from Coloradoan.com, the local paper:

At a glance: High Park Fire

• Size: 68,200 acres
• Containment: 55 percent
• Cost to fight: $19.6 million
• Damage: 189 homes confirmed destroyed, undetermined number of other structures damaged or destroyed; one person killed
• Response: 1,978 personnel aided by 132 engines, 17 helicopters
• Evacuations lifted: A combined 390 notifications were sent out Wednesday allowing residents in Soldier Canyon, Mill Canyon Estates and some in Glacier View to return home.

There are some "spot fires" around the perimeter which are being suppressed.  They're "small" fires of 1500 acres or less.  

Here's a link to a roughly one minute overflight of the fire...

http://www.coloradoan.com/videonetwork/1697657539001/High-Park-Fire-overflight

Good news: we played a 2-hour gig in the Oldtown Square last night and the wind was blowing away from town, so the air was good and it was a great place to be.

[Highlander]

Hopefully you were smokin'...

[Pilgrim]

No good news to report....it was 102 in Denver yesterday, just as hot, 9% humidity and windy here.  The fire got a second wind and jumped into a housing development, burning 8 or 9 homes.

In Estes Park (7500 feet, gateway to Rocky Mt National Park) 40 miles from here, a fire starting in a cabin caught in nerby grass and trees and burned 21 homes in an afternoon.



My wife was hiking in the area and saw helicopters coming over from the High Park fire to dump water on it.  I guess today they have it controlled and are mopping up.

Right now Colorado has 8 wildfires going.  Not good.

And this afternoon we play a 2-hour gig at the Bud Brewery on the back patio...complete with highs in the 102-105 degree range and with moderate smoke!  At least they're providing the sound system, beverages, and canopies for sun shade.  We have one of the 11 Budweiser breweries in the US on the north edge of town, and they're doing a summer "Party on the Patio" series.

I think it's going to be mid-week before we see any cooler weather.  

[Dave W]

Not good at all. 

[drbassman]

We just can't comprehend it here in Upstate NY.  We have occasional droughts, but never dry enough to cause massive fires.  Our major weather problem is extreme cold and too much snow in winster.  And the worst is the occasional ice storm that brings down trees and power lines for miles.  Not a pretty sight.

I hope you folks get some relief soon!  So far it hasn't gotten close to my brother in law in Erie.  You all are in our prayers!

[patman]

It's as dry as late August in Cincinnati.  June's not even over.

[Highlander]

We had the wetest May on record and this month's not much better...

[dadagoboi]

Seven inches of rain in the last two days here, probably 10 more before Debbie is done.  Tornado watch, lake wind advisory and flood watch currently in effect.  Drought seems to be broken though.

[exiledarchangel]

Not good news at all. Summer fires here are almost a routine, especially on the south and central, so I know what's like.

[Pilgrim]

After four days of temps over 100 degrees (105 yesterday in Denver, 101 here, forecasts in the high 90's in Fort Collins)...there is some slowly developing good news.

Those who are interested can follow the High Park fire here: http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/misc?url=/custom/highfire/highfire.pbs

Costs for fighting the fire are now over $21 million, and 258 homes have burned.  However, they are starting to cautiously opine that they may be able to contain the fire by early next week.  It just looks like more hot days with minimal humidity.  They're now using C-130 military planes to dump fire retardant.

It has been a smoky couple of weeks here in Fort Collins!

This shot from Sunday shows part of the fire and streaks of retardant that had been dropped...



Here's a shot of a home that made it - showing how close the fmales are coming...

[Dave W]

Sounds like progress on the containment front. Real question is when you're going to get some relief from the heat and drought.

[Pilgrim]

Sounds like progress on the containment front. Real question is when you're going to get some relief from the heat and drought.

Amen!!  We're definitely getting some real heat.  I think yesterday's 105 in Denver may have been a new record high.  Playing an outside gig on Sunday when it was over 100 was easier than I thought - we really enjoyed having a canopy for shade.