Buildings destroyed, people missing in Colorado wildfire

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Source: msnbc

DENVER, Colo. — An out-of control Colorado wildfire fueled by high winds and hot temperatures left an unknown number of people missing, destroyed 10 structures and prompted evacuations on Saturday, fire officials said.

A blaze in northern Colorado was first reported Saturday morning and had grown to about 8,000 acres by mid-evening, while a fire in southern New Mexico was small for a few days until it began growing Friday, reaching about 10,000 acres.

Larimer County Sheriff's Office spokesman John Schulz said the fire expanded rapidly during the late afternoon and evening and by Saturday night, residents living along several roads in the region had been ordered to evacuate and many more were warned that they might have to flee. An evacuation center was set up at a middle school in Laporte.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47754113/ns/weather/?ocid=twitter#.T9Sl5LWvOW0

[originalpckelly]

1. Told you guys on DU about this yesterday.

It was more than 100 in some places in Denver, meaning in the mountains it was probably in the 70s or 80s.

It is so weird for it to be this hot this time of year, we should be going through a monsoon type of weather right now with tons of storm drenching the mountains and plains, but nada.

[Woody Woodpecker]

4. Seems to be cooler this morning

a balmy 72 is forecasted today - should be a fun Father's Day - all five of us (grandparents included) are heading to a exotic car show - not my thing, but it excites my 3 year old son

[originalpckelly]

6. Indeed, it is nicer.

But I smell smoke outside, and that's SE Denver.

[kemah]

2. Hey Ron Paul supporters are you going to avoid that evil socialist FEMA money?

Here in Galveston County after Hurricane Ike everyone lined up to get that evil socialist FEMA money. Ron Paul supporters getting evil socialist money. They surely talk the talk, but won't walk their Ann Rynd talk.

[hlthe2b]

3. I'm up in Fort Collins this month... This one makes the May Hewlett fire look

mild in comparison...Frightening to go outside and see that gigantic plume of smoke just beyond the foothills. I hope those missing actually got out somehow, but, sadly I'm doubting it. So many were smart enough to start the evacuations early and so many rallied to get horses and other animals out as well. Thankfully after Katrina, shelters are required to allow dogs and other pets now too--and the one in LaPorte is full of them.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

5. My grandparents old cabin is up in Poudre Park

just saw they've been evacuated (not my grandparents, the new owners and all the neighbors)

Evacuations ordered in Poudre Canyon
http://www.reporterherald.com/news/larimer-county/ci_20822948/evacuations-ordered-poudre-canyon

half my childhood is up there. I feel like bawling

[hlthe2b]

11. Such a beautiful area... I hope the winds change and the cool front brings rain.

[fizzgig]

12. it was the smoke that woke me up this morning

fourth fire up here in as many weeks. i know that fire is necessary for this ecosystem, but not like this. i am worried that we're in for a repeat of 2002.

i am very grateful for our firefighters, they've worked awfully hard the last month.

[Demonaut]

19. this will be worse than 2002, I spent last summer all over the mountains here in CO and the trees

were dead from Walsenburg to Wyoming, pine beetle kill has devastated our mountains....It's truly amazing to see the amount of dead trees.

[fizzgig]

20. i was astounded by the stands of dead trees i saw last summer

i got pretty far up the poudre canyon last year and saw huge patches of them. i fear you are right.

[Demonaut]

22. this thread is old but the fire season is in its full throes

it's bad!

[PatrynXX]

17. thanks for bothering to note where the f*** it is.

media says northern CO. no shit. bet alot of folks are in Northern CO where!!! Fort Collins. well shit. I know people there thanks alot dumb dolt media. grrrrrr lemme guess media has no directions whatsoever.. zzzzz

[nanabugg]

23. You will probably find that more of the 1% use FEMA funds than the 99% because

the 1% have more expensive properties to cover, they have attorneys who know how to file for benefits and get results, and most live in secluded areas to get away for the 99% "riff-raff" but those areas for more subject to natural disasters. Republicans and other "conservatives" are the most hypocritical individuals alive. The radical conservative states contribute far less to the Federal coffers than they receive from it, yet they complain the most about the Federal government and the "social welfare" programs because they mainly just don't want "those others" to be helped by the government.

[wordpix]

7. this is something few people think about when they build houses "in the boondocks"

or near a river or seacoast.

Mother Nature (aided by man's folly and stupidity) sometimes rages with fires and floods. Definitely something to think about when you're thinking about "getting away from it all."

[kestrel91316]

13. My mom was raised in Ft Collins. I spent not only vacations there as a child,

but lived there in the late 60s and then also again 1974-1982. I only remember a couple of fires up Poudre Canyon EVER. Those homes up in the canyon have been there for many decades with minimal concern about fire because it wasn't so dry that it was an issue. With global warming, now it is.

Don't you go blaming those homeowners.

[AtheistCrusader]

15. A couple decades is nothing to mother nature.

Fires and floods are both measured on scales like 10 year, 50 year, 100 year, 1000 year.

If you live on the edge of a forest (like me) you maintain fire breaks. Even on the good years, because if you don't, there will be dead material to burn on the bad years.

Fires are a natural part of a forest's lifecycle. If you live near brushland or forests, you must prepare for fires.

[SkyDaddy7]

21. With the climate changing the way it is...

It really does not matter where one lives fire & other natural disasters will find you...Fires can be a problem in such areas but not very often like we see taking place now. Times have changed & will only get worse as the climate continues to spiral out of control!

[wordpix]

25. go ahead and build in fire and flood zones, then

And pay for insurance accordingly.

I for one do not want to pay to rebuild people's homes when they get destroyed b/c they built on the beach in the ocean surge zone, river flood zone or in areas known for fires. If you're going to build in a fire-prone area, at least take proper precautions like (as poster noted below) building and maintaining fire breaks, having a good source of water to water down buildings, and using building materials that don't burn.

Fires can happen anywhere in the dry West. Just b/c they didn't happen in your area when you were growing up, doesn't mean they won't happen.

[jwirr]

8. Is it part of the continuing drought or is this just a dry spring fire? I didn't think it had gotten

that far north.

[hlthe2b]

9. Combination of dry spring, lightening, and the dead trees due to bark beetle devastation...n/t

Last edited Sun Jun 10, 2012, 12:39 PM - Edit history (1)

[jwirr]

10. Thank you.

[kestrel91316]

14. The bark beetle and dry spring are both due to global warming.

More fires, bigger fires, more droughts, bigger droughts, shifting flora ecosystems, blah blah blah.

We are doing this to ourselves.

[AtheistCrusader]

16. Some of it is improper fire managment.

Reagan-era 'fight all fires' strategies, that prevent natural burns. We're starting to back away from that, finally.

[hlthe2b]

18. Yes... no one (sane) could deny the impact of climate change

[greymattermom]

24. so what do folks in Colorado think about firefighters?

Time to stop spending tax money of worthless government interventions?