Fast-growing wildfire breaches lines, moves into Colorado City

[Shadow]

(CNN) -- A wind-fueled wildfire of epic proportions breached fire lines Tuesday and entered Colorado Springs, Colorado, prompting at least 32,000 new evacuations in the city and at the U.S. Air Force Academy, authorities said.
"The fire conditions could not be worse," said Anne Rys-Sikora, spokeswoman for a multiagency fire response team. "It is like a convection oven out there."
Residents of the North Mountain Shadows and Peregrine communities in Colorado Springs were ordered to leave their homes, authorities said.
Multiple structures in North Mountain Shadows were being affected by the fire, officials said Tuesday night.
Colorado Springs set a record high of 101 on Tuesday as firefighters contended with brutal conditions. Officials rushed in crews and aerial equipment in a bid to slow the Waldo Canyon Fire.
The 6,200-acre fire remained only 5% contained. Officials labeled it as exhibiting "extreme fire behavior."

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/26/us/western-wildfires/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

[Nell's Room]

Stay safe everyone! I know how scary bushfires can be. Leave if you have to, but don't leave too late!

[Shadow]

Very scary. Fire not contained and the windy weather grounded planes that were dropping fire retardants. Looks like the US Air Force Academy has been evacuated now too. :(

[Nell's Room]

This is one time the Aussie's would be happy to help out. We know what bushfires are like, having lived through Black Saturday. So if ya need us, call us. We got choppers, and plenty of firefighters!

[Shadow]

Yeah,we see a lot of fires here in NM this time of year also. A few summers ago we went to Carlsbad to see the Caverns right after a fire burned through there. The drive up is usually really beautiful...that time is was marred by charred wood. I posted pictures a while back of what the area looked like after. There are lots of landmarks in CO Springs. Hope this fire gets contained soon.

[Kathianne]

This is one time the Aussie's would be happy to help out. We know what bushfires are like, having lived through Black Saturday. So if ya need us, call us. We got choppers, and plenty of firefighters!

I don't know that more people are the answer? I doubt the machinery could be moved quickly enough from here to there. Here's one report of what they already have going:

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-colorado-wildfires-212538465.html


...More than 8,400 personnel, 578 fire engines and 79 helicopters are fighting wildfires around the country, with more than half of the active federal wildfire-fighting resources in use in Colorado.


[How to help: Colorado wildfires (http://news.yahoo.com/how-to-help--colorado-wildfire.html)]



The fast-moving Waldo Canyon fire near Colorado Springs nearly doubled in size overnight, forcing as many as 32,000 residents to be evacuated.


On Tuesday, the blaze—fueled by 65 mph winds—jumped a perimeter set by firefighters, causing roads to be closed and part of the U.S. Air Force Academy to be shut down.


Hickenlooper, who surveyed the fire from the air, said, "It was like looking at the worst movie set you could imagine--it's almost surreal. You look at that, and it's like nothing I've seen before."


The Waldo Canyon wildfire is one of about a dozen burning in Colorado, including the High Park Fire—Colorado's second largest ever—which has scorched more than 83,000 acres, destroyed 248 homes and is blamed for at least one death. Overall, four people have died due to wildfires in the state this year.


On Monday, four C-130 military aircraft tankers were called in to help battle the blaze, dropping 3,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire in shifts.

[Shadow]

1 dead as Colorado wildfire destroys over 300 homes, making it most destructive fire in state history

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado – A raging wildfire that forced tens of thousands to flee has left at least one person dead and destroyed an estimated 346 homes this week, making it the most destructive fire in the state's history, officials said.
Police Chief Pete Carey said late Thursday the remains of one person were found in a home where two people had been reported missing. He didn't elaborate or take questions after making the announcement late Thursday.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/06/28/colorado-springs-fire-destroys-346-homes-mayor-says/#ixzz1zBR3qPMm