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| Back in May 1996, the Buffalo Creek wildfire started after Pete and I left for a two-week vacation. We found out about it from a variety of curious messages on our answering machine. The pictures were paralyzingly beautiful. Oh, quite spectacular. But, pictures don't capture the essence of things in the West. |
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So, in June 2000, I saw the Hi Meadow wild fire start. A small plume of smoke at about 11:30 in the morning. By 2pm it was half a mile wide, clearly out of control, with smoke you could see in Denver. I know this because our neighbors who work in town all called to check fire status with me. By 6pm our trucks were packed with everything we wanted to save. Houses and big Ponderosa pines went up with tall plumes of black smoke. Every once in a while, a propane tank would go with a tall column of blue flame. | |
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For three days, I didn't do much but watch the fire. I had small white circles around my eyes from keeping the binoculars to my face all day. Nights were worse, because the flames and glow were easier to see. Our deck was pretty much fire central. Our neighbor, Frank, is Mr. Fire Spotter, and he got calls at our house from the fire fighters. We thought that was bad. In 2002, we had the Snaking fire (about 2500 acres,) Black Mountain (250 acres,) and the Hayman fire (137,000 acres and started by a Forest Service employee.) I'll stop now, because I can't convey what it's like to watch beautiful forests, wildlife, and people's homes destroyed by the actions of idiots. So, there is one point I'd like to make. |
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| If you live in or come up to the mountains, try very hard to not be an idiot. Don't throw cigarettes out of your car window! I will report you. Don't start fires outside when it's really dry. We've lost about 250,000 acres in the valley due to human carelessness and stupidity. | ||