Estes Park, CO being evacuated

[PigsDad]

At 2:30 today, evacuation orders went out for residents in Estes Park, CO due to a wildfire that started around Grand Lake a week ago. It crossed the continents in divide in Rocky Mountain National Park and looks like it could burn through most of the popular areas of the park on its way toward Estes Park. Scary and sad.

Kurt

 

[Cornell]

awful

 

[rickandcindy23]

That is awful. I am watching to see what happens with the park and the wildlife.

 

[CO skier]

Sounds too much like the 1988 Yellowstone fires, except the Colorado forests affected have large stands of beetle killed timber. The continental divide through Rocky Mountain National Park is above treeline -- mostly just tundra and rock. The fire must have crossed what should have been at least a miles-wide natural fire line.

 

[bnoble]

Part of it is below. The Milner pass trailhead is on the divide. But not below by much...it’s not a bad hike from there up to the Alpine visitor center, about the final third of that is above.

 

[klpca]

Seeing the news makes me sick. As a Californian, I can feel your pain. Wishing nothing but the best for all of Colorado, but especially those who are in the path of the fires.

 

[Passepartout]

Sometimes there is just no fighting them. Just get out of the way and pray for snow. Stay safe!

 

[WinniWoman]

Sometimes there is just no fighting them. Just get out of the way and pray for snow. Stay safe!

They are supposed to get snow this weekend.

 

[CO skier]

Part of it is below. The Milner pass trailhead is on the divide. But not below by much...it’s not a bad hike from there up to the Alpine visitor center, about the final third of that is above.

From the incident mapping, it appears the fire crossed the Divide at Sprague Pass where the east and west slope forests are separated by more than a mile. Unbelievable. If it continues its march eastward, it will pass through Moraine Park and on to the Beaver Meadows entrance.

The weather forecast is for west winds 20-30 mph with gusts to 60 mph beginning tonight and running through tomorrow. This could get really bad.

 

[bnoble]

Yep. And, as you say there is a *lot* of dead timber everywhere you look. Lots of dry fuel.

 

[Krteczech]

We evacuated EP at 1:42 PM on Thursday. We are safe now and hoping for safe return soon.

 

[Krteczech]

It was very dark, just like around 7 PM and smoke everywhere. Congested roads, very slow Traffic towards Loveland/ Ft Collins. We decided to go South towards Blackhawk/ Idaho Springs and turned West on I 70. Now we are just catching every new info there is. Fingers crossed our house will be waiting for us.

 

[Passepartout]

It was very dark, just like around 7 PM and smoke everywhere. Congested roads, very slow Traffic towards Loveland/ Ft Collins. We decided to go South towards Blackhawk/ Idaho Springs and turned West on I 70. Now we are just catching every new info there is. Fingers crossed our house will be waiting for us.

Holding our fingers crossed for you. Wishing you good news!

Jim

 

[klpca]

It was very dark, just like around 7 PM and smoke everywhere. Congested roads, very slow Traffic towards Loveland/ Ft Collins. We decided to go South towards Blackhawk/ Idaho Springs and turned West on I 70. Now we are just catching every new info there is. Fingers crossed our house will be waiting for us.

Hugs to you. Been there in 2003 and 2007, although somehow our neighborhood was missed when the evacuation orders went into effect in 2007 and since it was chaos leaving our community and since we face east and could see the fire we stayed home and kept an eye on things. No issues and it was actually much, much worse in 2003, so 2007 didn't really faze us. When there is so much smoke that it gets dark it is the scariest, creepiest feeling every. Are you having high winds too?

 

[PamMo]

@krteczech, watching the news leaves a pit in my stomach. I can't imagine having to deal with what you're going through. We used to live in a canyon along the WA/ID border, and fires were very scary. We were so rural that I used my truck to fill up water tanks for local volunteer firefighters. Watching fires flare all around your propery is such a helpless feeling. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your neighbors.

 

[Passepartout]

We evacuated EP at 1:42 PM on Thursday. We are safe now and hoping for safe return soon.

So, how did it work out? Are you back home? Has the weather beaten down the fires?

Jim

 

[Krteczech]

We are safe and comfortable and following all news. Sheriff is pretty good communicator. it started to snow early this morning and by now they accumulated about 7”. Part of Estes Park is now downgraded to voluntary evacuation and people who returned are warned about being ready for possible one hour Mandatory evacuation.
Only four wheel drive cars are allowed to EP and hwy 34, 36 and 7 are being slowly plowed. With awaited snow the temperature dropped to 2F and many residents are concerned about frozen pipes etc. We are not in rush to return, instead we are celebrating my birthday at peaceful Aspen, CO. We will wait until all roads are clear. I understand there is around 3500 firefighters there from as far as Puerto Rico and some of those guys are experiencing snow first time. Stay safe, stay healthy and take time to vote!

 

[rickandcindy23]

The snow is a godsend. We prayed for snow in the mountains. Too bad we had to get it in the Denver area, too.

 

[PigsDad]

The snow is a godsend. We prayed for snow in the mountains. Too bad we had to get it in the Denver area, too.

The moisture is needed everywhere in Colorado, so I am not complaining!

Kurt

 

[rickandcindy23]

I was telling @Michael Coley on Facebook that masks are kind of nice to wear when it's this cold outside. We went to Walmart before the storm started, it was 18 degrees, and it was one time I was grateful for my cloth Disney mask. We just got back from Disney World, where the temps were warm and we were barely able to take the masks. Then we get this snow. Brrrr...

We definitely do need the moisture.

 

[Krteczech]

Evacuation orders were lifted and we returned to Estes Park, CO. Local hospital, Post office and most of shops are still dormant. Keep your fingers crossed for RMNP and small towns surrounding it.