I grew up in a small town called Woodland Park. Woodland Park is just 18 miles west of Colorado Springs. At the time it was a 3 stop light kind of town. To get to the city of Colorado Springs there is an 18 mile mountain highway called Highway 24 or Ute Pass. Between the 2 towns is a nice hiking area called Waldo Canyon can be found. I have hiked there a few times. It isn't a secret, but it certianly isn't well known, or so that was the case this time last week.
I first heard there was a fire in Waldo Canyon sometime Saturday. Not long after it started. I imediatly panicked. I knew it was to close to Woodland Park. I knew it was to close to Colorado Springs. I knew it hadn't rained in weeks. I knew the trees we dry enough they might as well be tooth picks. I knew the High Park Fire had been raging for weeks. I knew resourses were limited with the number of fires in the state. I knew panicking was justified and I knew there was nothing I could do about it.
The first concern was my parents bussiness. Basically located where this highway and the city of Colorado Springs meet. I got pictures, lots of pictures, sent to me by my parents. Maybe one every hour or two. The shop was my concern, the shop was their concern. That concern was with me Sunday and Monday, by Tuesday night I might have thought the worst was behind us, maybe everything will be ok, but by that afternoon the situation changed.
Tuesday morning there might have even been hope. I believe I heard the words 5% containment and the fear subsided a litte, but not for long. Hollywood has nothing on what was about to happen. About 2:00 another fire breaks out close to me and far to close to the city of Boulder. One ridge stands between this fire and the city limits of Boulder. I am glued to the TV, disapointed that my short lived hope was gone. The news crew would show the Waldo Canyon Fire for 10 minutes and the go to the Flagstaff Fire (aka the Boulder Fire). Then the worst happened they stopped showing the Flagstaff fire. The wind kicked up in Colorado Springs, about 100 miles south of Boulder. The fire grew by leaps and bounds. Neighborhoods were quickly evacuated even parts of the Air Force Academy on the other side of town from where the fire started. The panic returned. I get a call from my sister. They are trying to get home from the store. They are off the highway, because it is so congested with people trying to evacuate ash is falling on the car and she is trying to keep ME calm on the phone. I am glued to the TV as pictures are texted in from my parents and 2 sisters. I am frantic. They call when they get home. I offer to bring down the truck to fill up. They are not evacuated yet, but it is getting closer and I am an hour away. My mom telss me to stay here, that she is packing their truck and car and putting things in the trunk of my youngest sister's car. Finally, a reason to smile. My mom never let any if us drive very far while we were living at home. I was not allowed to drive on highway 24 so, basically I couldn't drive anywhere (remember I said the town only had 3 stop lights). So, the thought of my mom putting things in the trunk of my sister's car. Knowing this meant if need be my sister would not only be driving out of town, but driving out of town during an evacuation with a thousand other panicked drivers. Ok, maybe it isn't a funny situation, but I laughed. Not out loud af course, moms have a way of kicking your butt even when you are grown and miles away. I am not sure how that works yet as my kids are still at home, but stay tuned, I will let you know as soon as I figure out how to do it. All laughing aside, things are about to go from bad to worse. I wouldn't have been able to get there is time anyway, because before I could have reached them, they closed the highway. As the sun sets I watch on the live feed as the fire creeps into twon, my HOMEtown. It is horrific. I am on Facebook, other friends that have moved away are watching in horror as well, because by this time we have made national news. The thought is in the back of my mind, what about Woodland Park, Waht about Woodland Park, What about Woodland Park? Nothing, there is no news about the back side of the fire. My firends still living there are not online now, what does that mean? I watch as the fire starts consuming houses. The Flying W Ranch posts that it is gone. I am sick to my stomach. I am yelling no, no, stop, stop. I want to go out there and fight it my self. Of course, I can't. I know that would only make the situation worse. I don't sleep Thursday night. I know my family is in the path of this monster. I know they are not leaving until they are told to leave. And I know there is nothing I can do. How does a girl sleep with all that?
The next morning brings no good news, but no worse news. There hasn't been much change since last night. If you consider 2am "last night." The town is covered in smoke. I try to convince my pregnant sister to come stay with me. Just for the day to get out of the smoke and enjoy the ac, but she won't. Her in-laws are moving in. Atleast for the time being. And once again in the afternoon the wind picks up. 60 mile per hours gusts. The reporter is having a hard time staying on her feet and my stomach belly flops again (can a stomach belly flop?) I sit on pin and needles and watch, they are showing nothing but smoke we can not tell what is gonig on and they don't really know either. Then the unexpaected happens, at 5:00 they cut to regular programming. What!?!!? My hometown is burning and you show Everybody Loves Raymond??? Ok, I am a little out of date, I don't recall what the show was, but you get the point. I text my mom "What is going on, the news cut to regular progaming. Good news?" ... nothing. I text my sis the same ... nothing. Finally my sis gets back to me and says things are about the same and the wind has died down. I breathe a sigh of relif and take my son to his baseball game.
So, here we are. It is Friday night. We are at 25% containment, but this is not time to get comfortable. 347 have lost their homes, 2 have lost their lives. So far I only know of one person that has lost their home, but that number could change. I don't look forward to going back down. To see what this fire has done to one of my favorite places and my favorite national forest will turn my stomach again I am sure.
Continued prayers will be needed for a long time. For those that lost their homes and the families of those that lost their lives. And prayers for rain. It is only June and this is not the only fire in the state by a long shot.
