Homemade Sausage Making

You may be interested in this note from a relative who lives east of Colorado Springs. This was written at about 2:30 AM. They're watching local TV, unable to sleep, updating their evacuation list.

Hi All, Here's an update on the fire. I can`t believe our beautiful state is burning. The High Park fire near Ft. Collins has burned 275 homes, 88,000 acres and now our beautiful city is on fire. The Waldo Canyon fire has only burned 5,500 acres so far but today was bad with the winds up to 65 miles per hour and straight out of the northwest. It blew the fire over the ridge and down to the city in only 45 minutes. So far 38,000 residences (houses, not people) have been evacuated. It`s midnight and we are sitting here watching 100`s of houses burning on TV. An Icon, "The Flying W Ranch" is gone and evacuations go from the North including the Air Force Academy all the way down south to Hwy 24. We can`t go to bed for watching the coverage unfold. It is so sad. The evacuation orders happened right at rush hour so it was horrible for everyone who was trying to get home to save precious items and pets as well as the people who were trying to leave. I feel so sorry for them. The really disturbing part is they think it was caused by an arsonist. This is terrorism in its truest form.

I can't believe this is happening.

Please pray for Colorado Springs.

Love,
xxxxxx

Here are a couple of pictures my sister-in-law posted on her face-book account showing us how close the fire is and how devastating it has been to the area

This picture is taken from their home upstairs window the other morning.


This picture was taken from the Chapel Hill Mall in Colorado Springs


My prayers are with all those people affected by the fires devastation. The fire seems to be getting worse and still not contained and no rain of let up in the extreme temperature are in sight for them.
John

On the other end of the country and to give insight into the way people think There was a HUGE 40 acre fire on Kent Island over the weenend and ten fire companies responded as reported on the news for three days. The fire was out the same afternoon it started.

John,
That second photo could make a brave man wet his pants. I've been glued to the TV and praying for the folks in Colorado and Utah also. We've got 8 bad ones going ourselves. They've totally evacuated a few small towns. I surely hope your in-laws are secure. Whereabouts in C.S. are they? Downtown area?

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

It is very sad. This is the first that I have heard of this fire, living without television or news papers has it's advantages but also it's downsides.

I too live in the forest surrounded on all sides by miles and miles of oak and fire is a constant worry.

My thoughts are saddened by this news and my sincerest condolences go out to these people who have lost so much in so little time.

Swallow

That Chapel Hills Mall photo looks like what I imagine Cheyenne Mountain would have looked like if the cold war had ever gotten hot. This isn't radioactive, thank goodness, but it sure looks like Armageddon anyway.

Pray for the wind to stop, and pray for rain.

This is as bad as I have ever heard about. It seems to be not letting up. The men and women on the fire lines must be at or near the limits of their endurance. Around here you can light a match and drop it on the ground and watch it burn out. There seems no end in sight the weather forecast is for more of the same. Here in the east we get two minute sound bites and then cut to the Queen shaking hands with an IRA fighter from forty years ago.

Chuckwagon wrote:That second photo could make a brave man wet his pants

I have to agree with you, Knowing the area scares me every time I look at that photo and feel saddened by the lose of a beautiful mountainous area along with the peoples homes and wildlife habitat that is part of the Colorado Springs region

Most of my wife's family is safe so far since they live on the east side of C. Springs, My niece and her husband although are the nearest to the fire danger but so far have not been part of the initial evacuation area but as we all know that could change in a minute. So my Prayers are that the Winds Die Down and they get some well needed rain in a hurry!

My prayers also go out to the Heroes trying to fight and contain the fire and that they have the strength to continue to fight it safely.
John

Only yesterday did they fully contain this fire. Here are photos of the aftermath. Truly sad.
http://photos.denverpost.com/mediacente ... /38644/#10

Has anyone determined the construction charactaristics that allowed one house to not burn when all of the houses around about did burn?

Chuckwagon wrote:Only yesterday did they fully contain this fire. Here are photos of the aftermath. Truly sad.
http://photos.denverpost.com/mediacente ... /38644/#10

I can't view those photos, some irritating pop-up comes up and wants me to share it on Twitter or Facebook and no way to close the pop-up.

But it's so sad to see all the destruction caused by the wild fire from what I saw on the news.

ssorllih wrote:Has anyone determined the construction characteristics that allowed one house to not burn when all of the houses around about did burn?

If you look closely, it appears that roofing material is a factor. Many of those homes had cedar shake shingles, presumably for hail resistance. They burn fast. But to be honest, shifting winds and fire fighters' actions, combined with proximity to brush, surely were major factors too.

...very sad. Summer fire season isn't over, either, so please, wherever you are, be careful and stay safe.

Untold story- - my sister-in-law hears rumors that vandalism was also a problem.

Well, here we go again- - the new 2013 season of wildfires in the west. ...specifically where my relatives live, in Black Forest, Colorado. They evacuated last night- - the horse, the cats and dogs, all the art and books and the TV and computer, the silver, the moveable antiques, some clothing, a car and the truck, whatever they could grab. They don't know yet if they still have a house. Reports are sketchy. Their house isn't on the noon Sheriff's Department list of houses destroyed/partial/not but reports don't sound good. They live in a heavily-forested area.

...so, keep your fingers crossed, and if you happen to live in a fire-prone area, get your evacuation list ready. T'is the season.

We have been getting three inches of rain a week here in Maryland. You could light kitchen matches and drop them in a wheat field and not start a fire. it stays dry long enough for a farmer to make hay and get it baled and put away and then it rains some more.
Russ i hope your folks come through this un harmed.

Wild fires would be my biggest fear about living out in the country. Where we live the only worry is about grass fires, and there's plenty of those in the summer. My house is all stucco with a concrete tile roof, even the front and garage doors are metal. About the only way it could burn would be from a fire started inside the house, and I keep a updated fire extinguisher handy in the kitchen.

I hope things come out OK for your family Russ, that has to be a really tough ordeal. RAY