Infraed Photos of the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire

[scannon]

We've been having a bit of a fire here since Monday. The mountain communities West of Boulder are involved. About 6,300 acres burned. So far 169 homes have been burned out completely. No casualties so far either. They got some rain yesterday which has helped a lot. Unfortunately, no more rain coming and high winds expected this evening so it could easily flare up again.

 

I live about 20 miles due East of the fire area and the smoke plume has been going right over us. I can see the flames at night, during the day the mountains and foot hills are obscured by the smoke.

 

I'm very allergic to any kind of smoke and I've spent most of the week inside and am still affected by the smoke. Here's a link to some infrared aerial views of the burn area sent to me by Alaskossie.

 

http://www.digitalglobe.com/downloads/featured_images/fourmilefire/DG_Analysis_Fourmile_Canyon_Fire_7sept2010.pdf

[Mondo]

That's a lot of homes! Heard it's officially the largest fire ever in Colorado. Hope they get a handle on it soon.

[scannon]

That's a lot of homes! Heard it's officially the largest fire ever in Colorado. Hope they get a handle on it soon.

 

Its not the largest in terms of area burned, the Hayman fire in 2002 was far larger but in a less densely populated area. This one is the most expensive in terms of number and average cost of homes destroyed. I think about 140+ homes lost in the Hayman fire.

 

The wind has come back up and I am again smelling smoke inside my house. I hope the wind has not started the fire moving again. It was 30 - 40% contained today, the first time they have announced any containment at all. Wind gusts up to 50+ MPH are predicted tonight.

 

One bit of good news, all the missing people have now been accounted for.

[V-Robb]

Skip,

Hope all is well at your place. There were fires burning in the mountains as we were heading south on 25 to meet you back on Aug 26...

[scannon]

All is well out here on the prairie and the Fourmile Canyon fire is 87% contained and nearly out.

 

The news is now reporting that the fire was started by a long time volunteer fireman who lives in the area and lost his home. He had been doing fire mitigation around his home 3 days before the fire and had burned the slash. He was certain the slash fire was out, stirred the ashes and poured water on it. There must have still been some embers buried in the pile and the 50 mph winds re-ignited the fire.

 

A new fire started Sunday in the foothills about 25 miles North of the Fourmile fire. It has burned two homes and about 650 acres so far. Aerial tankers on their way back to their home bases were recalled and got an early start on the fire.