After almost three weeks of closure, Coloradans will be able to access two of the state’s most popular national forests once again. Parts of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, shut down last month because of wildfire threats, will reopen to the public as of 6 a.m. Tuesday. The forests overlap Boulder, Gilpin, Clear Creek, […]
Cameron Peak fire
Posted inBusiness, Energy, News, Technology
Spurred by the threat of wildfires, an Estes Park broadband project moved at the speed of light
As the Cameron Peak fire burned in the distance on the morning of Oct. 17, Josh Cramer sprung into action. He worried the fire might reach Estes Park and cause a literal meltdown that could wipe out the town’s internet, emergency lines and prevent reverse 9-1-1 calls. The town needed access to backup broadband. But […]
Posted inBusiness, Climate, Coloradans, Environment, Growth, Health, Wildfire
The high cost of climate change is already straining the budgets of Colorado towns
The Grizzly Creek fire still is smoldering, but Glenwood Springs is already contemplating the challenges it will leave behind: severe damage to the forest drainages the Western Slope city depends upon for its drinking water. “We are concerned about a lot of mud and ash coming down the creek,” said Shelly Kaup, the city’s mayor […]
Posted inEnvironment, News, Wildfire
The Cameron Peak fire has burned more than 200 homes
FORT COLLINS — A wildfire that has scorched more than 326 square miles since it started in mid-August, becoming the largest in Colorado history, has damaged or destroyed more than 200 homes, officials said. As of Wednesday, the Cameron Peak fire in northern Colorado had destroyed 442 buildings and damaged another eight, the Larimer County […]
Posted inElection 2020, Environment, News, Politics and Government
One Colorado couple fled the East Troublesome fire with ballots. For others, voting options are abundant.
With the East Troublesome fire approaching his home, Jim Johnson hurried to the family desk to grab the computer and other electronics. Sitting next to the computer: his mail ballot and the one belonging to his wife. He grabbed them, put them in his briefcase and the couple hit the road about 20 minutes after […]
Posted inEnvironment, News, Wildfire
2020’s wildfire season is historic, charring more acres than any year before. But Colorado has a complicated past with its forests.
In the 35 years that Mike Lester has worked as a forester, nothing compares to the East Troublesome fire’s behavior last week. Its 105,000-acre jump from Wednesday night into Thursday alone would classify as the fifth-largest wildfire in recorded state history; the fire as a whole is now the second-largest. “I’ve never heard of something […]
Posted inNews, Wildfire
All missing people accounted for as snow gives crews battling East Troublesome fire a reprieve
A winter storm battering Colorado on Sunday and into Monday is giving firefighters battling the East Troublesome and Cameron Peak fires a much-needed reprieve. “We don’t anticipate any fire growth today or tomorrow with this storm. It may be quite a few days before we see any fire activity whatsoever,” said Paul Delmerico, operations section […]
Posted inNews, Wildfire
“We expect an active fire”: Weather is forecast to fuel East Troublesome fire on Friday
The firefighter leading the battle against the East Troublesome fire said Friday that, though danger remains, he believes the threat to Estes Park has lessened and that the town of Granby is also defensible. The slightly upbeat assessment from Incident Commander Noel Livingston came as temperatures dropped and humidities rose a bit at the fire. […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: Colorado wildfire season reinforces the need for mitigation and resiliency
Over 2,000 Colorado firefighters have been battling wildfires that have charred more than 430,000 acres since the beginning of the year. The Cameron Peak Fire overtook this summer’s Pine Gulch Fire as the largest in the state’s history, having burned over 200,000 acres of land thus far. Unfortunately, wildfires of this magnitude are increasingly common. […]
Posted inEnvironment, News, Wildfire
“Lots of structure loss” after East Troublesome fire’s explosion into Grand Lake, but changing weather slows march toward Estes Park
The East Troublesome fire caused widespread destruction as it swept across Grand County on Wednesday night and Thursday morning toward Grand Lake, entering an area packed with homes, lodges and other businesses. The fire burned an additional 50,000 acres Thursday, bringing it to 170,000 acres and making it the second largest fire on record in […]