Wildfires

[Brutal_HO]

Colorado and other parts of the west have been devastated by wildfires this season.

Thoughts and prayers go out to all affected.

On a personal level, it's affected several friends, particularly with the mandatory evacuation of Grand lake Colorado, many peoples health due to the smoke issues, and our hunting plans this year.

Almost daily headaches here due to smoke but we're close in town here on the "plains" of Colorado 20 miles outside Denver and well out of the danger zone.

 

[Eatonpcat]

Colorado and other parts of the west have been devastated by wildfires this season.

Thoughts and prayers go out to all affected.

On a personal level, it's affected several friends, particularly with the mandatory evacuation of Grand lake Colorado, many peoples health due to the smoke issues, and our hunting plans this year.

Almost daily headaches here due to smoke but we're close in town here on the "plains" of Colorado 20 miles outside Denver and well out of the danger zone.

Sorry to hear...Keeping you guys in my thoughts, Stay safe!!

 

[elephantrider]

I was just up in that area a few wks ago and there were a few smaller fires around. the new one is looking pretty bad.

 

[LateToTheParty]

I know we (Colorado) are not the only state on fire right now, but it is heartbreaking. While it is just a slight inconvenience to me to deal with poor air quality and be forced to find new camping/hunting spots, but for those who are displaced and/or have lost everything, I feel terrible for them. I will continue praying for some snow to get things under control.

 

[Great White North Eh]

They are part of nature but they suck and are very dangerous. Two summers ago we never saw the sun in central Alberta as we received a steady supply of smoke from B.C. it was hard to breathe and sun was block so much crops didn’t grow properly and the hay would not dry. Stay safe everyone in the afflicted areas.

 

[davis2]

I know we (Colorado) are not the only state on fire right now, but it is heartbreaking. While it is just a slight inconvenience to me to deal with poor air quality and be forced to find new camping/hunting spots, but for those who are displaced and/or have lost everything, I feel terrible for them. I will continue praying for some snow to get things under control.

Nothing worse than losing everything, I've been there.

 

[Trooper]

This started this morning behind us, started after i left for work, but got the notification for mandatory evacuation so we are with family now
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/wi...stin-and-foothill-ranch-urged-to-be-vigilant/
The picture of 133 and Irvine Blvd is few minutes from us, that was a controlled burn there, but the air quality is terrible, high winds and low humidity. Seems to be clearing in the sky prior to dusk, wind is dying down so fingers crossed and the evacuation areas are growing.
The emergency services have been doing a fantastic job however and well organized, hopefully no homes get lost and no serious injuries

 

[Brutal_HO]

This started this morning behind us, started after i left for work, but got the notification for mandatory evacuation so we are with family now
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/wi...stin-and-foothill-ranch-urged-to-be-vigilant/
The picture of 133 and Irvine Blvd is few minutes from us, that was a controlled burn there, but the air quality is terrible, high winds and low humidity. Seems to be clearing in the sky prior to dusk, wind is dying down so fingers crossed and the evacuation areas are growing.
The emergency services have been doing a fantastic job however and well organized, hopefully no homes get lost and no serious injuries

Stay safe and we'll hope for the best for you all.

 

[Eatonpcat]

Stay safe and we'll hope for the best for you all.

X2

 

[Trooper]

Thanks all, there are two fires now, both little to no containment, good news the wind is dropping and the sky looks clearer, waiting to see if the aerial teams can get up in the afternoon
I have lived in this area for 14 years, the last big fire was 13 years ago in about the same spot. The other fire that started yesterday afternoon is closer to my office, i didn't go in today, air quality is terrible.
Close to 100000 people now evacuated, roads are all closed off although i am confident there will be little property damage so just need the emergency teams to stay safe

 

[FunkELo]

My parents have a place in Granby, East Troublesome was really close. We took this before it exploded and headed towards Grand Lake.

 

[ppine]

I am a retired forester and take this seriously. The current intensity of fires and the large acreages burned a largely a function of neglect. The USFS has done little logging in the last 30 years. They have practiced intense fire suppression since 1910. The build up of fuels and the increasing density of forest stands is way beyond what can be considered normal. The National Forests System has net negative growth. In other words mortality from fire, insects and disease is greater than the growth rate. Git loggin and these problems will start to diminish. We create fire resilience by controlling the density of forest stands.

An example would be ponderosa pine stands. Historically ppine stands have had around 50-75 stems per acre. It is a fire adapted species and it has fairly frequent ground fires every 7-15 years or so. Now we protect ppines from fire and have not logged much lately. Modern stands typically have 250-500 stems per acre or more.

 

[elephantrider]

we had a scare a few wks ago.

 

[Adam06]

I am a retired forester and take this seriously. The current intensity of fires and the large acreages burned a largely a function of neglect. The USFS has done little logging in the last 30 years. They have practiced intense fire suppression since 1910. The build up of fuels and the increasing density of forest stands is way beyond what can be considered normal. The National Forests System has net negative growth. In other words mortality from fire, insects and disease is greater than the growth rate. Git loggin and these problems will start to diminish. We create fire resilience by controlling the density of forest stands.

An example would be ponderosa pine stands. Historically ppine stands have had around 50-75 stems per acre. It is a fire adapted species and it has fairly frequent ground fires every 7-15 years or so. Now we protect ppines from fire and have not logged much lately. Modern stands typically have 250-500 stems per acre or more.

I live up in northern New Mexico, last year dealt with the worst fire in state history. There were to separate fires that combined and burned hundreds of thousands acres. The problem was the U.S. forest service started these fires as prescribed burns. This has happened many times in the last 30 years here. Thousands of people lost their homes, ranches, livestock, everything they worked for their whole lives. Now the government is willing to give no interest loans to rebuild. Come on loans , they should be compassionate these people that lost everything not loans. They started the fires .

 

[Great White North Eh]

Can’t fight Mother Nature. If she’s got food she will eat. I guess it human nature to think we are smarter. The problem is the ‘’smarter‘’ of us seem to end up in government.

 

[Brutal_HO]

I am a retired forester and take this seriously. The current intensity of fires and the large acreages burned a largely a function of neglect. The USFS has done little logging in the last 30 years. They have practiced intense fire suppression since 1910. The build up of fuels and the increasing density of forest stands is way beyond what can be considered normal. The National Forests System has net negative growth. In other words mortality from fire, insects and disease is greater than the growth rate. Git loggin and these problems will start to diminish. We create fire resilience by controlling the density of forest stands.

An example would be ponderosa pine stands. Historically ppine stands have had around 50-75 stems per acre. It is a fire adapted species and it has fairly frequent ground fires every 7-15 years or so. Now we protect ppines from fire and have not logged much lately. Modern stands typically have 250-500 stems per acre or more.

They (USFS) and many state forestry programs *think* they are protecting property and the forest when in fact, they are causing harm. I'm not in any way fire/forestry related, but am a big/small game hunter and resident of Colorado and can see the detrimental effect on game and those programs. The beetle kill stands are still not all cleared and can also contribute to these intense burns.

The Grand Lake fires in 2020 burned 90% of the structures on the private land we hunt, including our landowner's house and outbuildings, and decimated the forests west of Granby/Grand Lake..

 

[ppine]

for years the USFS thought they could manage forests with fire alone. Overstocked forests cannot be burned safely without thinning first. For awhile the USFS blamed the current state of affairs on global warming. Now they are finally hiring foresters and timber cruisers and surveyors. There are 4 new saw mills going in near me in the eastern Sierras. Time will tell if their efforts will be successful.