The Cameron Peak fire, now the largest in Colorado history, continues to burn from west to east and is visible from vantage points in Estes Park. It has consumed more than 185,000 acres, or 289 square miles. Today is expected to be a difficult one for firefighters, with winds gusting from 50-70 mph. A report this morning indicated that Estes is not “imminently threatened or in the direct line of fire,” but is not yet in the clear, either. For communities around Glen Haven, however, it’s going to be precarious. High winds mean no aircraft in the sky to drop water and slurry.
I have friends and many, many memories in Estes and in Rocky Mountain National Park and have been watching this fire since it began some two months ago. To date all but a small, remote area of the park has been spared.
Meanwhile, here in greater Denver, the smoke got really intense for a few hours yesterday and reminded me of dust storms in the old days in Oklahoma City. But that smoke was attributed to the East Troublesome fire some 100 miles west of Denver. (I had no idea there was a community in Colorado called Troublesome.) We’ve been warned that smoke today will be from the Cameron Peak fire.
My thoughts continue to be with residents in the area whose lives and property are at risk and with the firefighters who’ve fought for two long months to control the blaze.
2 pm: Yikes. Just got word that there’s a new fire (dubbed CalWood fire) just northwest of Boulder. The town of Jamestown is being evacuated. This is starting to feel like California.
Scary stuff.
Sure is. And we’re just as bone dry as California.
When did it rain last there? You have a better chance of rain than we do because of your proximity to the mountains. We haven’t had any rain since July. I’m amazed our state isn’t entirely on fire. Knock on wood, but the Rio Grande Bosque is dry as a bone and just waiting for that match or cigarette to spark it. And I’m about 1 mile from it as the crow flies.
Depends on where you are, of course, but the entire state is in a “moderate drought,” with 97% of the state in “severe” to “exceptional” drought. You could probably start a fire just by rubbing your fingers together.
Here’s a Colorado drought map.
Interesting. When I look at NM, we don’t appear to be as bad as you are. I’m surprised my county is in red – we’ve not had rain here since July.
lol… I did figure out one reason we may not have had any rain for a while… they canceled both Balloon Fiesta and the State Fair. It almost always rains on opening weekend for both events.
Well, there you go. Obviously those events should not have been canceled.
Thanks for the update. We’ve been keeping up with the fire maps the past few days.
Now Boulder. Snow can’t come soon enough.
So little on the news about Colorado fires…always CA.
Heard the Glen Haven Volunteer Fire Dept is about exhausted. Larimer County website is current.
For people that want to help at a distance, the smaller towns are asking for donations to their fire depts – and the Big animal rescue groups always need help. They are rounding up livestock and volunteers hauling them to available places, but feed will be needed.
Here’s a starting point for the Cameron Peak fire
https://www.larimer.org/cameron-peak-fire
Here’s a list of the Boulder county Fire Dept websites
https://www.firedepartment.net/directory/colorado/boulder-county
All the small towns and communities are doing their best to help feed and give fire fighters a place to rest when they can
We keep all of them in our thoughts
Please relay any way we can help.
It’s a bit north of Boulder proper, moving east fast, straight toward Longmont if it spreads past the foothills. Some homes in the foothills already burned. They got air drops on it right away, but the wind this week has been awful. No telling what tomorrow will bring.
Certainly makes one reconsider purchasing waaaay out there. Can’t control lightning.
Weather forecasts not real encouraging. 😮
Thanks for the updates and easy to recognize locations
Not just lightning. Illegal campfires, fireworks, and gunfire. Fire insurance, if you can even get it, is insane. And you can’t just call the fire department down the street. And forget that little cabin tucked in among the pines. You need to clear all the trees and brush around your place. Destroys some of the ambiance.
It’s cool and cloudy today. Hope it helps.
Don’t forget the Gender Reveal firework (Now there’s an industry that is really pushing the limits of nuttiness).
Read one comment on emergency page about “We wildly did 2 years of years work in an hour – raking leaves and brush – before turning the sprinklers on and leaving”
Sounds like hurricane evacuation –
Posted some images from friends in Longmont – they hardly slept at all – and are hopeful with the morning drizzle.
Fingers crossed they hold the lines
One firefighter died in that stupid gender reveal fire. That should have put an end to all gender reveal stupidity.
We have some family friends living on the far west end of Longmont. I imagine they were up all night too.
Here’s the current map for the Calwood fire.
Hi Pied Type, nothing here in the news but 289 sq. miles is hard to grasp. Nice photo's though, looks a very nice place to visit and it's in your backyard.
Sent: Saturday, October 17, 2020 at 7:31 PM
Hi Huey. Yes, it’s just gorgeous up there. Heaven on earth. But maybe hell on earth right now. I’m just sick about it. The entire town of Estes Park has been evacuated.