Colorado Springs Fires

[WapitiTalk1]

I contacted my brother in law in CO Springs last night. His truck was packed with important stuff and he and his wife are ready if they get the word to evacuate. Please keep the folks who live there in your thoughts and prayers. Very bad situation for sure. RJ

[bnsafe]

will do.

[mtnmutt]

Currently t-storms in co springs, however that brought lightening and high winds. I am SW of the current fire and not in its path.

Earlier, there was a brief clearing of the skies of smoke before the t-storms moved in.

Last yr, it was the winds of a northern t-storm over air force academy that caused the fire to come down Queen's Canyon ridge into mountain shadows/CO Springs in a matter of minutes. By accident, I was out in it and had palm size ash falling on me. Fire was calm at 3 pm when I left my house, by 4/4:30 pm the fire had raced to the top of the ridge and making its way down into residential area. It happened fast. It was surreal.

Tuesday afternoon when Black Forest fire started it was very much like that. I saw the smoke grow extremely quickly. I am surprised most people escaped.

I hope your brother in law is OK. He is welcome at my house if he needs to evac. I serve as an evac place for friends in palmer lake. They evaced last yr for waldo canyon. I have smoke at my house now but isn't as bad as last year. My windows are old and the smoke gets in, but I don't have trouble breathing like I did last year.

People should always know multiple paths out of the backcountry while hunting. After last year, I make note of this for each place I hunt and backpack. Fires move fast. Wind shifts and paths get blocked.

Also, your belongings are not worth your life. If you see smoke or flames, escape fast. You cannot outrun a fire in high winds if the fire is close you.

Please refrain from open fires in CO this summer and do not leave fires unattended. Hopefully, the monsoons will come early. Snow would would be great this summer for a change. Remember when it used to snow in summer in the co mountains?

Hope everyone across the west stays safe and our drought ends soon.

[JohnFitzgerald]

I will RJ!