Rocky Mountain Fire

Where has the time gone?

I had good intentions of sharing some of the photos I have taken (and borrowed) from the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs. As of last week, there were at least six wild fires burning in Colorado. The perpetual smell of campfire looming everywhere you go along the front range. Although 60 miles away, the Waldo Canyon Fire reminds us every day it is there, in full force, challenging the brave men and women who lay their lives in the line to protect the livelihoods of those residing in and near Colorado Springs.

The Waldo Canyon Fire started on Saturday, June 23. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Fires have raged for 11 days now. Last week, Colorado Springs was a scary place to call home. Authorities evacuated more than 32,000 people, including parts of the National Air Force Base that calls Colorado Springs it's home. There was not a hotel, motel or inn available from Pueblo to Denver. Families displaced for days as they watched new coverage of the fire develop.

Tuesday, June 26, this was the view from my little house on the prairie.

The fire had been burning for four days. Zero containment.

The sky was clear, location of the fire obvious, a trail of smoke lingering across our southwest view from the porch.

With in 24 hours, the winds increased. As I was driving home,  this was the view of Colorado Springs.

Finally, we are getting some rain!

But I was sorely mistaken.

That giant cloud, now covering Pikes Peak, was made of smoke. 

By the time I got home, unloaded the kids and started dinner, this was the view from our front porch.

Everywhere around us was covered in a smokey haze. Ash particles floating like snow flakes. Boji was in a panic. Every time he went outside, he ran to the back of my car begging for us to leave. I would call him back into the house and he would lay down by the back of my car. He knew the smoke was bad. He wanted us to leave. 

The horses started acting erratically. Running from pasture to pasture. Whinnying to me when they saw me step outside again and scan all around. 

I started getting a little worried. 

What if another fire had started? I started getting nervous. 

Where was all of this smoke coming from? Surely not the Springs.

I started making phone calls to our neighbors. They too were concerned. Their view the same. 

A friend of mine , who is a county officer, assured me that no new calls had come in reporting fires in Elbert County.

We sat glued to the news channels. 

The Waldo Canyon Fire had exploded due to the 65 mph gusts of winds we were experiencing. The winds were literally fanning the smoke across the eastern plains. The fire peaked over the foothills and was headed straight into the city.

It didn't take long before neighborhoods were burning.

 

Since a week ago, the Waldo Canyon Fire has consumes close to 18,000 acres - small in comparison to the High Park Fire near Fort Collins which has been burning since June 9th and has consumed almost 88,000 acres. Though smaller, the Waldo Canyon Fire has burned a confirmed 346 homes. It is now being called the most destructive fire in Colorado history.

Over the weekend, all of the rain dances started paying off.

These kinds of clouds started rolling in.

And on Friday, I saw these on my drive home.

Although this little puddle is 60 miles away from the fire, it is wetting the rolling hills around me. Slowly making me feel a little less frightened of a fire near my little house on the prairie. 

Weather Man says to expect near monsoon weather by the end of the week. I can hardly wait!

As of this morning, the Waldo Canyon Fire is not 70% contained!

Rain dances continue... with the inclusion of a few cartwheels.