KKTV News 11 When the Waldo Canyon Fire roared into Mountain Shadows last summer, horrified residents throughout the city thought they were witnessing a once in a lifetime event.
Almost 350 homes were destroyed that night, making the fire the most destructive in Colorado history.
One year later, history was made again. Less than two days after flames were first reported in the Black Forest area, 360 homes were destroyed, surpassing the Waldo fire’s dubious record. Click here for the most up-to-date list
El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa cited the wind as the leading foe firefighters faced as they scrambled to save as many structures as they could. Late Wednesday into early Thursday, winds drove the fire back towards homes that had previously been spared and then spread the flames into areas previously untouched.
“It’s been the game changer,” Maketa said Thursday.
Weather conditions have worked against the firefighters since the fire first started. Strong winds with gusts of 30 mph or more, warm temperatures and low humidity have worked together to create conditions ripe for continuing fire danger.
Officials said Thursday morning that the fire remains 0 percent contained. El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa said barriers have been built around parts of the fire, but officials are not yet confident that they will hold for a 24 hour period. At this point, authorities say they are not comfortable labeling any part of the fire contained.
The fire continued to balloon in size as unrelenting winds continued to fan the flames. After holding Wednesday at around 8,500 acres, Maketa announced Thursday that the fire had swelled to 15,000 acres.
The fire’s origin was problematic for firefighters in a way that the Waldo Canyon Fire was not, officials said when asked in Wednesday’s news conference to compare the two fires.
“The fire is challenging because it began in essentially a residential area,” one official said.
While the Waldo fire took four days to reach Mountain Shadows, the Black Forest Fire claimed homes within hours due to its close proximity from the beginning. Officials explained that after the fire started, winds carried it to “higher density property.”
Fatalities are unknown at this time. Maketa said that there have been no confirmed deaths, but that he fears people took their chances and it may have cost them their lives.
“We could be facing a tragedy that involves people. Let’s hope that’s not the case,” he said.
Important information for people affected by the fire is listed below:
Mandatory evacuations have been ordered south of County Line Road, east of Hwy 83, west of Eastonville and north of Burgess Rd.
The voluntary and pre-evacuation areas are from North Gate Blvd. south to Old Ranch Road, the western boundary is at I-25 and the eastern boundary is Highway 83.
The Pre-Evacuation areas include:
Latigo Blvd. south to Stapleton Dr. / Meridian Rd. east to Hwy 24.
Burgess Rd. south to Stapleton Dr. / Volmer Rd. east to Meridian Rd.
Guy Ranch Rd. south to Stapleton Dr. / Eastonville Rd. east to Elbert Rd.
Burgess Rd. south to Old Ranch Rd & Poco Rd. / Milam Rd. east to Vollmer Rd.
Pre-evacuation expanded for Black Forest area – it is now I-25 east to Hwy 83 – from Northgate Blvd north to Hwy 105.
If you live in these areas, incident command suggests that you leave now, and not wait for a mandatory evacuation notice.
Colorado Springs city officials have issued a Voluntary Evacuation Order for the following area due to the Black Forest Fire moving to the west.
Voluntary Evacuation Area A: West to I-25 and all areas north of Old Ranch Road and still within the City limits of Colorado Springs.
Red Cross is opening a shelter at Palmer Ridge High School – 19255 Monument Rd, Monument.
In Elbert County they have ordered a mandatory evacuation for everyone west of N. Elbert Road and south of County Road 106. The Boy Scout Ranch has been evacuated and those children were relocated at the Elbert County Fairgrounds located in Kiowa, at 95 Ute Ave.
There are no immediate plans for returning to the Boy Scout Ranch so parents are instructed to come to the Elbert County Fairgrounds to pick up with their children. Please bring your identification with you for release.
There are approximately 900 evacuees at the Fairgrounds, 150 horses and other farm animals.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office provided the following information for residents:
“BE READY!” If you are not in the current evacuation or pre-evacuation areas there is currently no immediate danger to your home, family, or business, but the fire is growing and may be moving toward you as weather and wind conditions change. Now is the time to get ready. Refine your evacuation plans, and gather the things you’ll need if you must evacuate.
What to do
Families & Individuals – Refine your evacuation plan
• Decide where you will go. Learn the location of any Red Cross shelters that have been opened.
• Decide what route you will travel to reach safety.
• Pack the supplies you, and your pets, will need to sustain your quality of life for up to two weeks.
• Pack the important records or special belongings you will need to take with you.
• Decide where to meet if family members are separated.
• Ask someone outside the area to serve as your family contact point.
• Consider moving important family records, family heirlooms, and property (motorcycles, extra vehicles, etc.) to a safe location.
• Consider moving large animals to a safe location, such as a friend’s property or a large animal shelter.
• Since power outages are common during many emergencies, learn ahead of time how to disconnect your automatic garage door opener and open the door manually.
• Consider plugging a traditional land-line telephone directly into a phone jack in your home. When power is lost, traditional phone lines will still let you send/receive calls.
• If you have not yet done so, register your cell phone to receive emergency notifications: http://www.elpasoteller911.org. NOTE: New registrations may need up to 24 hours to take effect. Never rely on emergency telephone notifications as your only source of information.
• Cell phone service may be interrupted or diminished during emergencies due to high call volumes. Consider text messaging or use of social media to communicate with family members.
• Stay connected to a source of official information (TV, radio, or Internet) to be immediately alerted if conditions should change.
Persons with access, functional or medical needs, do all of the above plus:
• Arrange for any specialized transportation or help that you will need to evacuate.
• Pack your medical equipment, specialized supplies, and medications.
• If you have not yet done so, call 2-1-1 to add your name to the Emergency Evacuation Registry. This confidential and secure system lists persons who cannot evacuate without assistance. You will be asked only about your transportation needs, not about your medical condition.
Residential Healthcare Facilities:
• Confirm availability of specialized transportation.
• Review facility evacuation plans.
• Review continuity of operation plans.
Other Businesses & Organizations:
• Develop a roster or checklist to account for all employees.
• Review facility evacuation plans.
• Review continuity of operations plans.
For more information on Evacuation orders, visit: http://shr.elpasoco.com/ and click on the “Ready, Set, GO!” icon.
http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/Fire-Reported-East-of-83-211063511.html
Didn’t they make any fire breaks after last year’s devasting fire?
Intentionally set, according to several articles I’ve seen.