Colorado is on fire

[Inky_Wretch]

My part of the Midwest is an absolute tinderbox right now. But the grace of God, etc. ...

The interstate medians are just waiting for the next cigarette butt to explode in flames here. With July 4 looming, I'm sure we'll see dozens of grass fires.

 

[SockPuppet]

Usually get the afternoon monsoons after July 1. It can't come fast enough -- if they come.

Unfortunately, if they do come, won't that create another disaster issue - mud slides? Mountains denuded of plants plus monsoons is not a promising formula.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

There have been years in Colorado where you could have gone skiing in late June, not at Vail, but at Loveland Pass or Arapahoe Basin.

This year is nothing even close to what is typical in Colorado.

 

[Bob Cook]

My part of the Midwest is an absolute tinderbox right now. But the grace of God, etc. ...

The interstate medians are just waiting for the next cigarette butt to explode in flames here. With July 4 looming, I'm sure we'll see dozens of grass fires.

Thankfully, the fireworks industry is respectful of burn bans being put in place to ensure more fires don't happen.

Oh, wait, it isn't.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20120626/NEWS/120626026/State-law-puts-counties-quandary-fireworks-restrictions

... Amid pressure from Indiana’s commercial fireworks dealers, state lawmakers in 2006 approved a law making it legal for Hoosiers to shoot off fireworks from June 29 to July 9, even in areas under open burn bans, like the ones currently issued by more than two-thirds of the state’s counties.

This summer, at least 10 Indiana counties also have explicitly banned fireworks until further notice. The trickier decision, though, is whether to extend those restrictions past Friday and, thus, into the time period protected by law.

... Indiana State Fire Marshal Jim Greeson said some counties have issued their fireworks bans in conjunction with emergency drought disaster declarations. Such a declaration, officials hope, will override the state fireworks laws.

Greeson said no one has yet challenged one of the local bans in court.

That might change.

John Brooke, the Muncie-based general counsel of the Indiana Fireworks Dealers Association, said the trade group is considering asking a judge for an injunction that would halt the ban.

 

[Herbert Anchovy]

Helena, Mt., is also on fire.

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20120626/NEWS01/120626012/Cascade-County-firefighters-headed-back-Helena-s-Corral-fire?odyssey=nav|head&nclick_check=1

 

[Bob Cook]

Also, if you do a Google News search for July 4 fireworks canceled, you'll see a lot of communities are putting them off because of the insanely dry weather.

 

[MileHigh]

There have been years in Colorado where you could have gone skiing in late June, not at Vail, but at Loveland Pass or Arapahoe Basin.

This year is nothing even close to what is typical in Colorado.

Yes. Like last year. A-Basin was open for skiing on July 4 last year.

Also, if you do a Google News search for July 4 fireworks canceled, you'll see a lot of communities are putting them off because of the insanely dry weather.

There's been a burn ban in effect for more than a month and a fireworks ban went into effect three weeks ago.

 

[LongTimeListener]

In Utah, more than 20 wildfires have been started by recreational shooters. Yet a state law bars any agency from enacting any measure that would restrict gun rights in any way, so people are free to keep on shooting.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-utah-shooters-spark-gunrights-controversy-20120624,0,1924086.story

Story says Utah is one of three states with such a law. The others are North Carolina and ... Colorado.

 

[Smallpotatoes]

For some reason, I received an e-mail at work that said that the fires were an act of terrorism, done by Russian special forces. It also said that there were explosions in Michigan, including an underground nuclear explosion (and we didn't hear about it because of a media blackout), and blamed the Russians for that.

 

[Stitch]

In Utah, more than 20 wildfires have been started by recreational shooters. Yet a state law bars any agency from enacting any measure that would restrict gun rights in any way, so people are free to keep on shooting.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-utah-shooters-spark-gunrights-controversy-20120624,0,1924086.story

Story says Utah is one of three states with such a law. The others are North Carolina and ... Colorado.

Some family friends are still happy to go shooting in the forest in Colorado, while at the same time expressing their deep concern over how others could be so careless to start a fire.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

For some reason, I received an e-mail at work that said that the fires were an act of terrorism, done by Russian special forces. It also said that there were explosions in Michigan, including an underground nuclear explosion (and we didn't hear about it because of a media blackout), and blamed the Russians for that.

You're getting those too? I blocked the email address and didn't get the one about the fire, just the ones about the Russians trying to trigger the New Madrid fault via an underground nuclear explosion in Michigan (as opposed to Missouri or Arkansas where the fault is actually located).

Why the idea Russian special forces are setting fires in the west is ridiculous, I'm sure several fires this summer will be intentional.

 

[Corky Ramirez up on 94th St.]

For some reason, I received an e-mail at work that said that the fires were an act of terrorism, done by Russian special forces. It also said that there were explosions in Michigan, including an underground nuclear explosion (and we didn't hear about it because of a media blackout), and blamed the Russians for that.

You're getting those too? I blocked the email address and didn't get the one about the fire, just the ones about the Russians trying to trigger the New Madrid fault via an underground nuclear explosion in Michigan (as opposed to Missouri or Arkansas where the fault is actually located).

Why the idea Russian special forces are setting fires in the west is ridiculous, I'm sure several fires this summer will be intentional.

Make it three. But don't worry, I've already alerted the FBI, local news outlets (including ourselves) ... but not the federal gub'ment.

 

[MileHigh]

Fire moving closer to the Academy. Goal is to hold off the fire at the Academy's borders. If that fails, firefighters will fall back to protect hospital, cadet area.

"We're facing a potentially devastating disaster right here," Academy superintendent Lt. Gen. Mike Gould said. "We're well prepared."

 

[MileHigh]

Obama will tour the fire area Friday.

 

[MileHigh]

This gives you an idea of how big the evacuation area is.

http://www3.gazette.com/fire/

And a cousin just posted photos of a new fire started by lightning picking up steam in Mesa Verde, in the hills above Cortez.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I have relatives who live in the Black Forest area in the Springs and I don't think they've been evacuated yet.

 

[MileHigh]

That's on the east side of I-25, yes? It seems it would take a lot for the fire to jump I-25, but at this point, nothing would surprise me.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Seeing some tweets that it's now raining in Colorado Springs.

 

[rmanfredi]

Got the same report from my cousin. Not sure how much rain is coming down yet, but anything is good at this point.

 

[Cubbiebum]

It has been a disastrously dry spring/early summer and there are fires everywhere in the state. It's a tinderbox and it's going up in flames at the drop of a hat.

The one in Fort Collins has been going for weeks. A new one started above Boulder this afternoon (lightning). And tonight, the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs exploded and many, many homes are burning to the ground. It's unreal watching this. 30,000 have been evacuated down there.

Here's a picture from late this afternoon. That's the Air Force Academy's football stadium in the foreground.

Thoughts and prayers to everyone affected -- and it's lots of people.

Just saw this on yahoo's front page. Teased it with something about the fire dwarfing a large football stadium.