Colorado Springs Wildfire

[LTC Don]

What, no post on this developing disaster?

The USAF Academy is darned near about to go up in flames people! ! !

The Colorado Wing encampment was shut down, and both USAFA residential areas have been evacuated.

Pics of this developing disaster here:

http://photos.denverpost.com/mediacenter/2012/06/photos-waldo-canyon-fire-near-garden-of-the-gods/38318/#name%20here

This is a very, very sad situation -       

Somebody, please tell me CAP is assisting with this situation, and provide a running dialogue if there is time.   


Former Colorado Springs Cadet Sqdn cadet Comm Officer/ Cadet XO, 1982-83

[LTC Don]

In the foreground, low, is the USAFA Falcon Stadium.  The Cadet Area would be off to the right, out of frame.  The structures you see back behind the stadium are up on a ridge, the area known as the Community Center.  The USAFA Prep School is also located here at the Community Center area, just east of that campus. This is where the BX/Commissary is, and other support facilities like clothing sales, barbershop, gymnasium, etc.  The resdential areas flank that ridge to the south (Pine), and north (Douglas)




AND - Just posted on the PAO list -

http://www.usafa.af.mil/news/fire.asp

[RogueLeader]

I'm just hoping that they don't close the RSC on Peterson AFB next month.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Having very little experience with wildfires, has a fire ever been this close to the AFA?

[LTC Don]

Having very little experience with wildfires, has a fire ever been this close to the AFA?

Umm, I think not -      

[Struts]

Wonder what will happen to the facilities of the USAFA. At least it is summer and there are no classes going on. But their activities on campus would probably be suspended.
Do they hold Basic Cadet Training on campus or at Jack's valley?

Edit: Just discovered the answer farther into the website. First part is on campus and second part is in Jack's Valley.

The Colorado Wing encampment was shut down, and both USAFA residential areas have been evacuated.

How are they going to continue that?

[LTC Don]

Just posted on the PAO list that the CAP cadets were evacuated to Peterson AFB; although I don't know anything other than that.  The residents were evacuated to Fort Carson.  Not clear on what they've done with the USAFA Cadet Wing.

The incoming USAFA class of some 1,000 is supposed to start in-processing next week.  I hope there is a USAFA to in-process to......... 

[krnlpanick]

I had actually planned on posting to PAO this morning, glad someone put it up there. I have been watching this very closely - there are no CAP missions for this yet, as we are still assisting with the High Park Fire in Ft. Collins but I anticipate there will be a call out for assistance with the Waldo Canyon fire as well. I am monitoring WMIRS every day on these fires.

Edit: Redacted some information.

[krnlpanick]

Correction - was gonna post about the evacuation on here this morning... I'm still having my first cup of coffee...

[LTC Don]

Correction - was gonna post about the evacuation on here this morning... I'm still having my first cup of coffee...

  Very cool that you are in CO-143.  My home unit is NC-143.  LOL


Can you provide any additional details about the other fire missions CAP is flying such as pictures, radio relay, number of sorties etc.....and any ground support as well......


Cheers,

[wuzafuzz]

Rest assured COWG CAP members have donated hundreds, if not over a thousand, hours so far in a variety of supporting roles around the state.  However, we must remember not to bypass the ICS structure, especially the PIO's for CAP or the PIO's for the agencies we support.  Outside agencies may take an extremely dim view of us releasing info on our own.  That's one of the fastest ways to ensure we don't get asked to help in the future.  It really happens: I worked some ARES support for the High Park fire near Fort Collins, where some ARES operators talked out of shop and earned some harsh criticism from several supported agencies. 

Best wishes to everyone affected by the fires! 

[krnlpanick]

143rd Unite!   :clap:

I can share this. Here is a picture I took towards the fire from the highway - there is supposed to be a beautiful mountain range in that sunset, the mountains are almost completely gone.

[Eclipse]

CNN saying they are evacuating some 32,000 people in the path.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/27/us/western-wildfires/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

[wuzafuzz]

I thought the High Park fire was scary when it got close to Ft Collins (home).  Even then it took out 257 mountain homes.  The Waldo fire is much scarier since it actually made it into town. 

Here's a link to a morning update from one of the TV stations in the Springs: http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/Waldo_Canyon_Press_Conference_62712_160529155.html

The situation sounded dire last night, with firefighters asking for 20-50 strike teams being told there were none available.  Eventually resources started arriving from Pueblo and the Denver metro area.  Resources further north were already committed to other fires.  Here's hoping they can get a handle on it before the high heat and winds expected later today.

[RogueLeader]

From a post on Facebook is that they may have to use I-25 as the fire line. 

[krnlpanick]

Indeed it is a dire time for us Coloradoans to come together and use every available resource to get all of these fires taken care of. The Co Springs fire has the potential to be both deadly and disasterous for the city. The loss of USAFA would be catastrophic on many levels. The proximity to Shadow Mtn and Peterson is frightening. The loss of national Treasures like The Garden of the Gods would be horrible as well. There is a lot to lose from this fire.

[Struts]

Here is a link to a story about it http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/06/27/us-usa-wildfires-idINBRE85L1DD20120627

[Cap'n]

The fire is pretty awful. My home will be evacuating if it gets any worse. (We are in Pre-evacuation, and there is a mandatory evacuation just up the street of us.) The COWG Encampment was closed, and we were told we will be receiving Encampment credit, after a talk to the National Commander, which will hopefully pull through. If not, classes were mentioned to make up for coursework that we missed, since we were only there for around 55-60% of Encampment. If you have any questions, ask or PM me. I'm right in the middle of it all, and will try to update here if anything else happens.

[Майор Хаткевич]

The fire is pretty awful. My home will be evacuating if it gets any worse. (We are in Pre-evacuation, and there is a mandatory evacuation just up the street of us.) The COWG Encampment was closed, and we were told we will be receiving Encampment credit, after a talk to the National Commander, which will hopefully pull through. If not, classes were mentioned to make up for coursework that we missed, since we were only there for around 55-60% of Encampment. If you have any questions, ask or PM me. I'm right in the middle of it all, and will try to update here if anything else happens.

Update as you can, but focus on staying safe. Good luck.

[Cap'n]

As of now, the Waldo Canyon fire has burned 15,000 acres, and 5% contained. 32,000 have evacuated, and more to come. The west side of I-25 has Pre-evacuated/evacuated just recently, USAFA has evacuated, and Monument, Black Forest, and Palmer Lake have evacuated. It seems like so far the fire will not be passing over the highway, but the way the fire has spread now, we don't know.

And thank you, we will be.