Fires in Colorado

[Guest]

The 2012 Hunting Season could be good in the Plains Area this year with all the wildlife fleeing from the fires on the Front Range. A friend of my wife in Loveland posted a picture of a Mountain Lion in the city right at her house on Face Book today. The bugger is not small either. I'm sure some Hunters/Hunting will be affected this year by the fire destruction. We also heard today of 10-Elk walking into the city as well.

Don

 

[DrMike]

There will indeed be changes to the environment. After the fires come the excellent grazing for the elk by next spring.

 

[Elkman]

Fires typically enhance the area burned for wildlife. As always with anything in nature there will be areas that a burned very hot which will take longer to recover, but when timber is burned it is replaced by grass, brush and other desireable grazing species. Meadows that may heve been encrouched upon by trees will be clear again and be providing top quality grass. Fire is a part of out natural environement, its well adapted to the effects of fires. Houses do not do nearly as well.

 

[Wapiti Slayer .270]

Well a couple things here. What these guys say is true, in a few years hunting in the fire areas will be phenomenal.

I've had a front row seat for the High Park Fire, and unfortunately my cousin has had one for the Waldo Fire burning close to CO Springs. Luckily, he narrowly missed having his home torched during the blow up on Tuesday.

As to my area near the High Park Fire, most of the animals were already up at higher elevation for the cooler temps and better feed. Most of the refugee type animals from this fire have been the bear's, mountain lions and the deer herds. Listening to the fire radio traffic, it seems what elk spend their time in the area were pretty unphased by it, and were content to wander around the burn area. Must be quite a few pockets of cover and feed still left in the area. I know historically, the Stove Prairie area has been a elk calving ground in May. Luckily this fire didn't start till June.

The area around Loveland, CO has a ton of resident herds of elk in the area. One of the most notable lives on the Mariana Butte's Golf Course. There are several others that live in the foothills both north, west, and south of Loveland proper. Interesting to see them in town and around it even thought that's been the case for a while. lol

For those of you intersested, the High Park Fire has pretty much burned about 80% of CO Big Game Unit 19 up. It was long overdue in my opinion as its been an over grown area for decades. Add in the beetle kill, and it was a perfect storm.

The true downer in all this isn't so much the Big Game, but the fisheries. They are estimating at least 70% of the areas fish to die off due to runoff bringing in ash and other assorted pollutants.

 

[Wapiti Slayer .270]

Here are some High Park Fire pictures. Some were taken from my place on the east side of town, and some were taken from my dad's which came way too close. Lots of family friends have lost their homes to this fire. Hopefully they have faith and decide to rebuild. Its a close knit community and I hope that doesn't change.

The day it started..

The next day...........

 

[ridgewalker]

Nice pictures.

Unfortunately the fires are Mother Nature's way of hard core renovation. Clear cuts (until banned) did a good job of renewals even though they looked unsightly for a period of time just as a natural fire does.

If any of these start really high such as Grand County with 90% beetle kill, it is going to be a very hot summer. Having fought one small forest fire in my youth working for the BLM, I am amazed at the safety improvements, equipment, techniques and training the new generation of fire fighters have had.

Thanks to any of them who might see this. You are one tough bunch.

 

[Wapiti Slayer .270]

ridgewalker,

Very good points on all counts. We talked a bit about that fire reaching the top of Cameron Pass and jumping the divide how bad it would really get. Personally I hope they revamp their forest usage policies and let some folks in to help mitigate these type fires. As to fighting the fires, I know quite a few who have done so both on a small scale and the grand scale, thank you doesn't seem enough for these folks. Truly a monumental task for sure.

BTW, I think our burn area was up to 70% beetle kill in many areas.

 

[DrMike]

Wapiti Slayer,

We face the same challenges here in BC every year. I watched a massive fire come terribly close to the neighbouring town of Tumbler Ridge. The town was spared, but it was close. Likewise, on several occasions while living in the Valemount area, we were threatened by fires. Still, I have no desire to leave the west or to leave the mountains. It is part of the life to face such threats. The challenge makes for fine folks who live in these areas. I pray God's best for the good folk of Colorado.

 

[Wapiti Slayer .270]

Dr. Mike,

Like you I agree. Fires are one of the few nature issues we have to face. I'll never leave the west either. As you said, you got to be hardy to live in places such as this. Sounds like you've had some unfortunate events happen close to you as well. I know the good folks of your province have been hear helping us with your assets. Thank you all very much.

 

[338winmag]

I am about 3 - 4 miles from the disaster. I am safe from the fire (just across the interstate). We are hosting a family at our house that was rushed out and have no idea still if they lost their home. Even if their home is still standing, it might very well have extreme and severe smoke damage.

Ambers are still scattering our driveway and at certain times, depending on the wind, even as far as I am away, the smoke makes it difficult to breath outside.

I cannot even understand how those that have lost their entire homes feel. Its pretty rough for them. My family is providing all we can to those in need.

 

[Wapiti Slayer .270]

I am about 3 - 4 miles from the disaster. I am safe from the fire (just across the interstate). We are hosting a family at our house that was rushed out and have no idea still if they lost their home. Even if their home is still standing, it might very well have extreme and severe smoke damage.

Ambers are still scattering our driveway and at certain times, depending on the wind, even as far as I am away, the smoke makes it difficult to breath outside.

I cannot even understand how those that have lost their entire homes feel. Its pretty rough for them. My family is providing all we can to those in need.

I know where you are at roughly. Thank you and your family for all the good you are doing. Hopefully the folks you are helping will still have a home standing when this is done. I believe they must share the Mountain Shadow's neighborhood with my cousin as a place to call home.

Hang in there. Its rough with all the smoke and other such aspects of the fire. Rest assured it will clear and come to an end soon.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I was wondering how you guys were doing with the fires in the Colorado Springs area. The fires there have made many people lose their homes and part of their lives. I am happy to hear that you guys and your families are doing fine.

Washington also has a terrible fire problem from dry lightning fires, especially in the high Cascade area. We almost got caught in the fire that burned down to the ferry dock in Lake Chelan in Stehekin, four years ago. We were at Stehekin Ranch and barely got out before they almost lost the dock. The store and museum behind the dock burned to the ground.

The Pine Beetle, dry mountain conditions and dry lightning in the heat of summer are always a challenge here also but I have lived in the west since 1961 and have no desire to live in the east anymore. I am really no longer of eastern US culture or background after over 50 years out here. I really love seeing the mountains and the ocean together here and would really miss these if I had to move.

 

[SJB358]

Great pictures Kelly. Glad you and your family were spared.

 

[Polaris]

In my younger and dumber years I used to fight forest fire for the WI DNR and I spent a summer on a Helitack crew out of Isabella MN. We were deployed to 3 western fires that year, one NW of Carlsbad NM, one in the middle of nowhere Western Montana and one in Saskatchewan before MN and Ontario heated up later in July and August. I've still got friends on the line near CO springs and another fire in Utah right now. The comments I'm getting is that the fire behavior is like nothing they've seen outside of California during Santa Anna season. Beetle kill, high temps and high winds during an extreme drought make for a perfect storm.

My heart goes out to all the residents and the courageous, woefully underpayed ground pounders out there in the heat, smoke, dust, wasps and falling rocks putting their lives on the line. Will make for some fine grazing land in the near future though. The entire landscape out there is adapted to survive and thrive after a fire. Practice your open country spotting/stalking skills and long range marksmanship, she'll be a bit more open than you're used to.

 

[Elkman]

I just got off the phone with my dispatch center, they wanted me to go to Utah. This was the second time in 46 years that I have turned down an assignment. My wife is having surgery on the 10th and I have to be here for a couple of days on either end to make sure she is OK . I will make my self available nationally around the middle of the month. I am looking forward to the action again this year. Its like hunting, or drugs, once its in your system it never leaves.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Bill, I give you credit for still doing that. It has to be getting harder every year? I hope that your wife does well with her surgery too.

 

[Elkman]

Charlie
Yes is does, the fitness test for line work, requires that you are able to carry a 45 lb pack 3 miles in under 45 min. I finished at 41 + a little this year, but sleeping on the ground and the temperatures on the line are tough. Last year I was supervising, dozer and hand line construction on a hilly piece of line, temps hit 114 degrees. Days are generally 16 hours with 14 day shifts. Occasionally I am assigned staff work but prefer the line, but I won't be out there many more seasons. As I said its a passion, its part of my DNA.

Katie will do fine, this is elective, and she is pretty tough also, thanks for thinking about her.

 

[Oldtrader3]

The 114* would be the end of me, especially working in real hotspots near the fires.