Sometimes reality really is scarier than fiction - Colorado Fires

[Ryan]

This is going on right now in Colorado...

[Deb R]

It's very frightening. I have close family in Boulder, and I'm worried. The whole family is worried.

[Ryan]

I was going to make some lame WOOL joke, but this is too serious to joke about. My thoughts are with your family

[Deb R]

I was going to make some lame WOOL joke, but this is too serious to joke about. My thoughts are with your family

Thank you for that. Colorado Springs is being evacuated, along with the Air Force Academy; houses is the suburbs are already burning. The Air Force has dropped 4 plane loads of fire retardant just today, but the fire is only 5 percent contained. Utah and Montana have declared emergencies as well. Now the weather is deteriorating, thunderstorms with unpredictable winds are expected. Air quality all over the state is deteriorating as well.

My family is a couple of hundred miles away, but that's not far enough for peace of mind. This fire is a beast. Anything can happen. There's actually more than one fire, but only the biggest one is making the news. Boulder is between the two right now.

We can get them out, of course. They are not far from the airport, and plane tickets can be bought in minutes online from here. But their household consists of husband, wife, new baby, and wife's infirm mother that cannot live alone. They live in one large house, and to lose it would be devastating. And they would have to separate. Aaron is essential medical personnel at one of the hospitals in Boulder, and could not leave in a disaster situation. Even if he could, he wouldn't. He's dedicated.

So I'm hoping for the best. Hoping no one else loses their family, either. Hoping that the emergency responders win the battle and get to go home unharmed.

Thanks, Ryan.

[Deb R]

So much for hopeful. Moving right along to the praying part of the program.

http://www.9news.com/news/article/27...m-near-Boulder

[Janyaa]

I, too, have a lot of family and friends in Colorado. I grew up in Loveland, Colorado for the majority of my childhood, and it's so sad to see all the devastation! It's especially hard knowing that I've hiked, camped, fished, skied, etc all over that place and it will take a long time for it to recover.

I really feel for all the families who have lost their homes and will have to replace everything. Quite a few of my Colorado friends not affected have offered out their guest rooms to some of our friends living in that area.

That being said, nature will find a way and I know that these fires will make room for new growth. There's nothing so hopeful as seeing a hillside that has new shoots of green coming up from the ashes. I'm just wishing the destruction can stop soon and the recovery process can begin!

[Deb R]

Let's hope. Nature does what need to be done, it's just tough for mankind to get out of way and stay safe. I hope your family and friends will be okay.

[Jan]

Deb, I'm praying for you and your family. And everyone in the raging fire area. I just can't imagine how terrible it must be for everyone.

Thank you for that. Colorado Springs is being evacuated, along with the Air Force Academy; houses is the suburbs are already burning. The Air Force has dropped 4 plane loads of fire retardant just today, but the fire is only 5 percent contained. Utah and Montana have declared emergencies as well. Now the weather is deteriorating, thunderstorms with unpredictable winds are expected. Air quality all over the state is deteriorating as well.

My family is a couple of hundred miles away, but that's not far enough for peace of mind. This fire is a beast. Anything can happen. There's actually more than one fire, but only the biggest one is making the news. Boulder is between the two right now.

We can get them out, of course. They are not far from the airport, and plane tickets can be bought in minutes online from here. But their household consists of husband, wife, new baby, and wife's infirm mother that cannot live alone. They live in one large house, and to lose it would be devastating. And they would have to separate. Aaron is essential medical personnel at one of the hospitals in Boulder, and could not leave in a disaster situation. Even if he could, he wouldn't. He's dedicated.

So I'm hoping for the best. Hoping no one else loses their family, either. Hoping that the emergency responders win the battle and get to go home unharmed.

Thanks, Ryan.

[Deb R]

I do love technology. Using my son's laptop, we got to see and talk to the family last night. They are fine, and hope to remain that way. They are on the other side of Boulder from the Flagstaff fire, able to watch from a safe distance. Some of their friends had to evacuate yesterday, though, people that live on the mountainside. This morning's news says that the firefighter's are making progress and expect to have the Flagstaff fire contained by Saturday. The fire in Waldo Canyon is still an out of control beast. A lot of homes are already gone from the outskirts of Colorado Springs. The aerial photos are both fascinating and awful.

You know, as scary as wildfires are, they can be accepted, at least, when lightning is the cause. That's nature in action, and no one's fault. But now the news reports say the FBI is working with the firefighters, as of this morning. There's no word of any confirmed arson, but the FBI seems to have reason to look for it. That seriously sucks, to say the least. I hope they are wrong.

[Deb R]

Deb, I'm praying for you and your family. And everyone in the raging fire area. I just can't imagine how terrible it must be for everyone.

Thank you, Jan. Those folks must all feel like they are roasting alive, with temperatures over the hundred mark. That's bad enough without fires. I hope they get rain pretty soon.