The Waldo Canon fire is burning near where we live. Waldo Canon is a very popular site for local hikers. We have watched the fire grow from 150 acres to 2500. It went from a single, impressive column of smoke to a horizon filled with flames and smoke.
As the evacuations were announced. Cedar Heights was the first evacuation. It's to the west of us and although we can see it from our home it seemed to be a ways away. The next set of evacuations included the street we live and I went into a panic. We scurried around gathering things and headed to my Father in law's home. He lives in a wooded canon about five miles from our house. As we listened to the news more closely, we felt that it would be safe to return home as the evacuation area is north of where we live.
We are safe at home, and have a new perspective. An experience like this makes me realize that we need to be better prepared for emergencies. We need to have our 72 hour kit ready and where we can grab it quickly. We also need to have a better plan for preparing to leave our home in an emergency.
We are unsure of what the next few days will bring, but we now have a plan in place can rest better.
7 comments:
The smoke was really bad last night. It is at the level that they are extending health warnings to elderly and the ill.
The air is clearer today, and the fire has picked up again. It doesn't seem as close to our home as it was.
It has amazed me the kindness of the people that are close to us.
Betty is getting cabin fever.
Last night was horrific. We watched the news as our Chapel was threatened and the neighborhood around it burned. There are now 32,000 people evacuated. There are no hotel rooms available in Colorado Springs, Pueblo or Denver according to the News.
As I took the dog out last night, there were large chunks of ash about the size of my hand. There have been no reports of burning anywhere near our neighborhood.
There is a lot of smoke in the air. I will never enjoy the smell of a camp fire again.
It has been a chaotic day. Relatives have been calling to check on us as we have listened to the news and have had our eyes on the smoke plume overhead.
Evacuation areas have been announced on the news by the name of the neighborhoods and rumors fly as unpredictably as the smoke. We've had to be careful where we take our information from.
Right now, the area two blocks to the north of us and to the west have been evacuated. The area just to the west of us is preparing for evacuation.
We are currently in our home, but bBecause of the way the fire exploded into the city last night, and because we found ash the size of the palm of my hand in the yard this morning, it is hard to trust the situation.
Today, we have blue skies and no wind. The fire is still burning to the north and west of us, but we see no evidence of the fire other than smoke in the distance.
We have been grateful for the internet. Our ward has a Facebook page and we have seen ward members post real time about their safety. It has been reassuring on one hand and heart wrenching on the other. Some of our ward members were evacuated multiple times. We have not been evacuated.
One of the greatest miracles to my mind has been the preservation of our chapel. We don't know many homes of ward members have been lost or how many survived. The news of lost homes is given directly to family members before being released to the media.
Three hundred and sixty four homes were lost in Colorado Springs. There is a meeting tonight at the University for those whose homes might have been involved. They published a list of street names and only those who lived on those streets are invited to attend. My heart goes out to those people whose streets were listed.
The fire is now 70% contained. Colorado Springs is 100% contained. We are grateful for the firefighters who make this possible.
As of today, the fire is 90% contained. Our Chapel is ok to use again and many of our ward members have seen their homes. Some are back in their homes permanently.
Our life is beginning to normalize again.
Post a Comment