Fire at Fort Carson grows to 100 acres

[unhappycamper]

Fire at Fort Carson grows to 100 acres
The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Mar 3, 2009 20:32:47 EST

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Fort Carson officials say a wind-driven grass fire burning on Fort Carson training areas has spread to 6,200 acres.

Fort Carson Fire Chief Glen Silloway told The Colorado Springs Gazette that 100 firefighters are battling the blaze that started at about 10 a.m. Tuesday.

No structures have been destroyed and no injuries reported. Fort Carson spokeswoman Dee McNutt says the winds have started to die down and the fire is about 10 percent contained.

Equipment ordered to fight the fire included a single-engine air tanker and two Black Hawk helicopters. A heavy air tanker from Texas was expected to be available later.

Officials have not determined the cause and say it’s too early to tell when the fire will be contained.


Rest of article at: http://armytimes.com/news/2009/03/ap_carson_fire_030309/%2e

[Solly Mack]

1. Been there. Done that.

The fires got so close to housing I could see the tops of the flames from my yard. So what did we do?
We went out to eat. Funny thing is, the lot across from the restaurant was on fire. We ate - the whole time remarking on how the fire across the street was spreading our way.


The street going toward the training areas was filled with prairie dogs on one side at the corner turn. We used to sit and watch the animals go about their lives. Fascinating. The coyotes would bring their young to the prairie dog village to train them how to hunt for food. Fascinating and disturbing. The pups wanted to play with the prairie dogs - the parents were patient but brutal....the prairie dogs faster than one might expect.


This area was a street and a parade ground away from offices and headquarters...the fire was just beyond the prairie dog village.

My housing area was to the right of all that

I've been too close to 4 brush fires in my life - and with one exception (gagging on smoke), never felt threatened. I'm an idiot. :)