herchenx
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jun 11, 2012 2:16:49 GMT -5
well i don't know how far this news makes it, but all that is going on here is this fire. My whole world smells like a camp fire and the smoke is as thick as any I've ever had to spend any time in. We live 10 or so miles from the mountains, and the fire is a mile or 2 inside the edge of the mountains, so we aren't in any danger here, but this smoke and in some cases the flames are visible wherever you go. I noticed it yesterday when we were working in the yard, it was already a big fire by noon on Saturday. I headed to the dump to take a load of yard trash and took photos as I went:        later that evening Nancy and I headed for dinner in town. We missed the really dramatic sunset that some folks caught from further east  you can see the bright red sun on the left of this image in the trees:  I shot this at dusk:   I tried to get pics after dark, you could see the fire over the first ridge, and it would flare up when the wind would blow. Even from 20 or so miles away you could see individual trees go up. This morning I got up, and all you could see to the west was smoke. I went outside and there was ash falling. You can see some sitting on the truck here:  It didn't look as clear, but the wind from the night before had really expanded the fire, and it was burning on the closest foot hills    As the day wore on, the smoke got worse, these are from our yard this afternoon   eventually the sun was hidden  from the front yard  we drove south a ways to get a sense of scale  we ended up going to a movie in Loveland  After the movie, the smoke was way worse, and the wind was blowing it everywhere. At this point the fire is completely uncontained, and the last update several hours ago put it at 20000 acres. We headed home, and it was smoke everywhere wal mart parking lot in Timnath  along the interstate  We drove further north and the flames were visible. The smoke is too thick where we live to see the flames, but it looks bad. |
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Post by digdug on Jun 11, 2012 7:17:46 GMT -5
I was watching this on weather related problems this year last night. Cali and Washington are burning , the south is flooding and up in western Canada we all ready had 2-3 tornadoes "tornadoes in Canada?" this week, one south from me on sat and funnel clouds to the east,which is real early for us and a lot of rain. I live in the Canadian version of tornado alley lol.Last year we burned, super dry. And eastern Canada is stuck in a heat wave all ready! Its going to be an interesting summer.
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Post by NatureNut on Jun 11, 2012 7:31:40 GMT -5
This is a different one than the one that was burning when we were there, right? It looks to be in a similar area.
OMG, that is too close for comfort, it would make me nervous.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 11, 2012 8:19:33 GMT -5
When are you heading out on your trip John? If you are in that smoke for very long I worry for the kids. You may need to get masks for them to wear because it looks like this could go on all summer. The entire Rocky mountains may go up in flames this year. The Big Horns just to the east of me have had some rain so they may be spared but it is still pretty dry up there. Very little snow this year.
Jim
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jun 11, 2012 9:54:58 GMT -5
Jo, yeah this is a new one, not too far from the Hewlett gulch fire that was burning when you were here.
I think the Hewlett Gulch Fire was around 7000 acres.
This one is the High Park Fire, and as of this morning is at 36000 acres and from what I last heard is zero percent contained. It started at dawn on Saturday they think from lightning.
Jim, we leave a week from tomorrow, the house filter so far seems to be keeping the worst of the smoke from circulating. The kids aren't allowed to play outside so hopefully we'll avoid too many major problems.
The lack of moisture is part of the problem, but the most heinous culprit is the pine beetle. A decade or more ago, this colorado insect got a huge boost and it started killing whole forests in Colorado. You can see large brown swatches, tens of thousands of acres - all over Northern Colorado where there is just dead standing timber with no green trees at all.
These standing dead trees, paired with lack of moisture, high wind etc. make this a pretty high risk place for fires.
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itsandbits
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since March 2012
Posts: 825
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Post by itsandbits on Jun 11, 2012 10:52:18 GMT -5
so you got the massive pine beetle outbreak too then. Up here in Canada it started in the late 70s, early 80's and spread right across BC starting in central BC, and Alberta has been fighting a loosing battle because of the milder winters they are getting through the mountain passes and through the rockies. BC is bare now compared to what it was.
Forestry is limping along when it used to be the #1 employer. Now it's even behind tourism I think.
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Post by digdug on Jun 11, 2012 15:06:53 GMT -5
The only way to rid them is by fire or they need a very cold snap of below -30celcius for a couple weeks. It shuts down there inner antifreeze. They have started to remove infected trees , but as itsbit was mentioning its a losing battle as the beetle continues east.
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Post by Pat on Jun 11, 2012 15:51:39 GMT -5
John, news of your fire is in today's San Jose (California) Mercury News, and online there is an interview with the fire chief.
We don't get humongous fires here; just earthquakes...
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jun 13, 2012 2:59:11 GMT -5
Yesterday afternoon (Day 3) - the smoke was coming off the closest hills.  Today (day 4) at dusk, the fire is over 43000 acres now, the largest in the county's history:  fortunately the wind has been low and there is ~10% containment now. Before last night the fire was 0% contained. I have one friend who lost the hand-built home they have been working on and living meagerly to pay for over the past decade. They finished it this summer. Another friend, just down the road from these folks, had to defy police and the sherriff, drive through fences, drive on hiking trails and through a river to get back to his house and force his dad to leave with him. The fire is across the road from his property although the fire fighters are claiming to have that area under control. It is really crazy here. This afternoon the wind shifted and it was snowing ash where I work. The building filled with smoke and the smoke was thick outside. I can't see the flames because the smoke is so thick right now. Hopefully the wind stays calm so they can get better control. This shows the last reported state of the fire: inciweb.org/incident/2904/ |
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Post by NatureNut on Jun 13, 2012 7:17:33 GMT -5
I hope the fire crews are able to achieve more containment. At least they are making progress, albeit slow. I wish I could send some of the extra rain from the east out your way. Be safe John.
Jo
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Post by Rockhobbit on Jun 13, 2012 9:29:26 GMT -5
Arizona has been burning as well! We had the Gladiator Fire similar to your fire. Got 6 homes and almost wiped out the town of Crown King. It is 100% contained finally! I am sad about our mountains going up in flames! Come on rain, we need you!!
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Post by Pat on Jun 13, 2012 10:09:21 GMT -5
Front page news yesterday in our San Jose, CA newspaper. Hope you don't have to evacuate.
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jun 13, 2012 21:28:19 GMT -5
Day 5 sunset. Nearly 47000 acres had burned so far as of this morning. The wind had been low so the smoke seems less intense.  |
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Post by helens on Jun 13, 2012 22:17:28 GMT -5
Holy cow... that's terrible. Thanks for the photos John, it really puts a perspective on how big it is. Don't they dig containment trenches to try to stop big fires like that? Letting it burn out seems dangerous to towns.
We had a flash flood 2 nites ago. It COMPLETELY flooded/submerged my back porch studio, and was 1/2" from running into the house before it started to subside. We were not home when it happened, so didn't unplug anything. Am going to wait a week before trying to plug anything back in to see what fried. My kiln was turned on and plugged in at the time, and it shorted... so at the least, I will have to replace a fuse. I think I lost all my power strips too, but will see after the wires dry out a bit.
Too bad we can't send you some of our rain, we haven't had rain come down as hard and fast as this last huge storm even in our 2 direct hit hurricanes here, Francis and Charlie. The weather is definitely changing.
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jun 13, 2012 22:45:03 GMT -5
yeah Helen, it is so dry and until yesterday was so windy that containment was not possible. All their efforts were going into saving whatever homes they could (aerial sorties dropping fire retardant and water)
Sorry to hear about the flooding, it sounds like the East Coast is getting our share of rain!
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Post by Rockhobbit on Jun 14, 2012 2:10:42 GMT -5
We got new yesterday that our monsoon season will start a couple of weeks early, usually July 1st, will start next week. Good news for rain but bad news because the beginning storms only bring lightning, not much rain. Rain usually starts in August so lots of fires will be sparked by lightning in Arizona.
Prayers sent to Colorado for your hard times!!
Sheri
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jun 14, 2012 23:27:51 GMT -5
Well, the fire has burned 52000 acres as of this afternoon and is 15% contained. This was the view on the way home  That massive cloud LOOKS like it has rain, but it also has lightning and wind - and rain has been elusive lately so it could go either way, we'll see what tonight brings. |
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herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
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Post by herchenx on Jun 15, 2012 17:57:18 GMT -5
Day 7  New flare ups still happening |
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Post by Rockhobbit on Jun 15, 2012 18:04:20 GMT -5
Mother Nature hath no fury!
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Post by talkingstones on Jun 15, 2012 20:03:23 GMT -5
Wishing you rain, John! Lot's of rain! Be safe and am hoping for containment and extinguishing soon! Be safe... all of you!
Cathy
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