October Front Range Forest Fires Wrap up
Calwood Fire, 10 miles south of Lyons
The CalWood fire started on October 17, 2020. The fire burned 10,105 acres in brush, timber and grass approximately three miles northwest of Jamestown, Colorado. It is 76% contained, as of Wednesday, October 28, 2020. A winter storm and cold temperatures have diminished much of the heat in the fire area, but expect to see smoke and possible flames in the northwest section of the fire near Highway 7 and from some of the areas well in the interior of the fire. That fire activity may persist until the area sees more snowfall. All future updates for the CalWood Fire will be posted to the Inciweb page: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7245/. — All further phone inquiries on both fires can be directed to Boulder County Office of Emergency Management, (303) 441-1500.
*Calwood Fire PHOTOS* HOVER over images to read full text. CLICK to see larger.
Wrap up of Four Fires Surrounding Lyons, with Recognition of those who volunteered
This page offers (1) thank you’s to all the people who worked or volunteered during the October fires, resulting in many evacuation orders (2) Thanks to some outstanding individuals and (3) and a short wrap up of the situation as of October 29th.
Thanks to the hard work of our firefighters, emergency management teams and Voluntary Agencies Active in Disaster everyone made it out of the Estes Valley and Grand County evacuations safely and sheltering was provided to those who needed it.
Thank you to more than fifty different Fire Districts fighting the fire, and Fire Authority’s, Boulder Emergency Management, Boulder and Larimer County Sheriff’s Offices, Colorado State Patrol, CO Dept of transportation, CO Parks and Wildlife/Estes Park, the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, and more.
Thanks to the hard work of our residents, firefighters received hundreds of snacks, drinks, sandwiches and dinners from impacted residents who wanted to give back.
Thanks to the Lyons Board of Trustees, including Mayor Angelo, for opening up Bohn and Johnson Parks’ RV spaces for free to evacuees last week.
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In Estes Park, the Stanley Hotel opened up to serve 380 firefighters. Despite having only about 20 percent of their staff, they worked with volunteers to serve meals, and offer warm, safe accommodations.
In Pinewood Springs: Thanks to the generosity of Villa Tatra restaurant for making hundreds of sandwiches for the firefighters.
—Thanks to Colorado Cherry Company who gave Lyons, Estes Park and Pinewood Firefighters homemade pie pockets!
—And to Laura Levy who started posting “Things to be thankful for” each day on the Facebook page.
—Pinewood Facebook Administrator Sue Nichols-Painter called out local hero, John Bykerk. “He spent Saturday in Estes Park (along with many other men and women of our volunteer fire department) fighting the fire near the YMCA of the Rockies, and then got up Sunday morning to plow our Pinewood Springs Roads. I don’t know about you all, but I think that is badassery. Thank-you!”
Thanks to two independent organizers: Dan Casey set up a trailer and kept in touch with the first responders to see what they needed. It kept it organized, would load it up with drinks and snacks, and take it down into where the firefighters were. He also spent $1,000 on gloves for the crews. Letia Alton Grosser, Pinewood Springs, saw a post where you could take donations to him and that’s how they met. She collected $4,433.00 from people (as of Oct 26) and drove to Sam’s to buy energy bars and drinks and more for firefighting crews. “Between PayPal and cash handed to me… It’s coming from Pinewood people, Texas, Nebraska, Kansas and more.”
Lyons: St. Vrain Market —– This is a name you sometimes see, and sometimes don’t see in the news, as they don’t seek the spotlight for their generous donations all year. It is reported to us from Crystal White: “From what one of the firefighters said, Neil and the Market served at least 150 sandwiches while they were fighting the CalWood fire. He provided at least 100 sandwiches (October 26) for firefighters on the Cameron Peak fire.” Neil Sullivan, owner, replied to the comments on Facebook: “Too kind. The St Vrain Market is a community driven business that is here because of the support we receive from our community, and thus we would never miss an opportunity to give back, especially to those in their time of need. Lucky to be in Lyons!”
OUR ANIMAL FRIENDS: Thanks to those who took an extra step for their neighbors and strangers …who helped round up the horses, donkeys, chickens and more… offering their labor, their wagons, car trailers, their property and shelters for the safe keeping. This includes both the Larimer and Boulder area Humane Societies, who took in hundreds of pets.
FREEZING TEMPS: On Saturday, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Department put a priority on trying to get as many people back to their homes temporarily to make sure their water pipes didn’t freeze and burst. Also, thanks to those who drove into Estes Park over the weekend, when temperatures dropped to below freezing, and worked with the Sheriff to save many of the deserted homes from further disaster. This includes more than 65 contractors and plumbers!
And, to the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army USA for helping provide shelter, food and other assistance.
Hover over the images below to see the TEXT ~ Click on images to see them larger size
FIRE UPDATES October 28:
The Calwood fire is 76 percent contained. The Lefthand Canyon fire is 100 percent contained. The two largest fires in Colorado history, the Cameron and East Troublesome, are now taking advantage of the cold weather and snow, and are: proceeding with mopping up, removing tress that might fall on roadways, extinguishing remaining hot spots, preparing contingency firelines as needed, falling and clearing dead trees, and identifying suppression repair work such as rehabbing dozer lines.
The East Troublesome fire is 30 percent contained, with 193,774 acres. Evacuation levels continue to be implemented across Grand County, and the east side of Estes Park. The Cameron fire is at 208,663 and 64 percent contained. It burned in heavy timber stands over rugged terrain, and the evacuations and closures remain in place. Both fires were accelerated by high winds combined with critically dry fuels drove fire growth.
While the battle against the fires is not done, the snows and colder weather have given us time to pause and collect ourselves. Take the time to call your neighbors and friends and make sure they are alright, and say the caring things to them that you may not have put into words before.
I will no longer be doing the JOURNAL of TWICE-DAILY UPDATES on our “Fire Emergency” page. If you wish to follow the TIMELINE over the past couple of weeks, you can always go to that page. It contained emergency information, and links, and lists.
UPDATE November 4 – Fire Operations Update: The Calwood fire remains at – Size: 10,106 Acres, Contained: 76%==The East Troublesome fire is Size: 193,804 Acres, Contained: 37%==The Cameron fire WAS at 208,663 and 64 percent contained last week==today is Size: 208,913 Acres, Contained: 92 percent.
UPDATE December 15 – ALL CONTAINED – LINKS TO DONATION sites
Many Lyons residents know the long and hard journey that happens after a major disaster hits their home. This week I am focusing our attention on the homeowners in the two largest forest fires to hit Colorado in its history.
The Cameron Peak fire had 208,913 acres destroyed (contained December 2). 469 total structures impacted: 224 homes destroyed/ 4 homes damaged; 220 outbuildings destroyed.
The East Troublesome fire burned 193,812 Acres. Between October 20 to 23, the size of the fire exploded from 18,550 acres to 187,964 (contained November 30). A preliminary estimate of 366 residences; 214 outbuildings and commercial structures were destroyed or damaged.
I am not listing “support” web sites, as Lyons residents were not personally affected. This is a list of local Colorado groups that you can make a donation to:
The Denver Channel.com – Channel 7 “Gives”– you can donate to each one of these THREE individually, or you can go to the Ch7 web page and make one donation to be split between them, with no fee deducted==United Way of Larimer Co/Cameron Peak Fire Fund// Community Foundation of Boulder County: 2020 Fires Relief // Grand County Wildfire Emergency Fund. https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E191959&id=2
== Community Foundation of Northern Colorado == The group got $2 million + during CO Gives Day. = $28,000 was donated to the NoCoFires Fund that will be matched — becoming $56,000 by Bohemian Foundation once we raise $250,000. Also gave to Secret Santa for 600 kids in N.CO == by donating to this group, they distribute funds to dozens of entities needing funding. http://www.NoCoFoundation.org/
== Granby Mt. Center – health, housing, hunger and more. They bought necessities for the fire victims, with money received, like work boots. https://www.mountainfamilycenter.org/donate/
== Grand County Wildfire Emergency Fund = 100% of donations to the Grand County Wildfire Emergency Fund will support the needs of Grand County residents who have been evacuated, displaced, or have lost their homes during the Grand County wildfires. https://www.grandfoundation.com/
== United Way of Larimer County – uwaylc.org – indicate: Cameron Peak Fire Response Fund. They are committing $50,000 in grant support through the Community Emergency & Response Fund. Your gift will keep hundreds of families in their homes this holiday season! Give today: https://impact.uwaylc.org/ResponseFund
Information supplied in “GOVENORS OFFICE” EMAIL : How to support the fire response efforts by donating to:
=ColoradoResonds.org
=BoulderCountyFires.com
=LarimerCountyFires.com
=GrandCountyFires.com
=commfound.org/2020firesfund
Thanks Kathleen. Nice job summarising that which is hard to put into words.
Good show, Lyons! And thanks for the update!