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Tag: Colorado Springs

Waldo Canyon Fire, Colorado Springs

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , , 12 Comments on Waldo Canyon Fire, Colorado Springs

Map of Waldo fire, Colorado Springs

The map of the Waldo Canyon fire above shows heat detected by a satellite at 3:35 a.m. June 24. 

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UPDATE at 2:35 p.m. MT, June 24:

The map below shows information about the fire’s location from two sources. The red line is the product of an infrared mapping flight by an aircraft at 11:07 p.m. June 23. The squares with the dots represent heat detected by a satellite about four hours later at 3:35 a.m. June 24.

Map - Waldo fire

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UPDATE at 12:52 p.m. MT, June 24

The Denver Post reported at 12:16 p.m. today that:

…Air resources consist of a helicopter with four helicopters on order. Two heavy air tankers and additional resources are on the way.

Surely this can’t be correct, that there is only one helicopter and no air tankers working on the fire.

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UPDATE at 10:32 a.m. June 24:

We have confirmed that two Modular Airborne FireFighting Systems (MAFFS) C-130 air tankers have been activated. Jennifer Jones, a spokesperson for the U.S. Forest Service, told us that the agency requested that the aircraft be in place between noon and 6 p.m. MT on Monday. This is the first time the MAFFS air tankers have been used this year.

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9:16 a.m. MT, June 24, 2012

The Waldo Canyon fire west of Colorado Springs has burned approximately 2,500 acres, according to the City of Colorado Springs in a 6:12 a.m. MT update. That site and InciWeb will provide detailed information about the fire, including evacuation notices. However, the InciWeb web site has been having problems, probably due to a large number of people trying to find information about the fire.

There are no reports of any structures being lost.

The map of the fire we have here shows heat detected by satellites at 3:35 a.m. MT, June 24. It shows the fire being less than two miles from the Kissing Camels golf course and very close to Manitou Springs.

Approximately 1,050 homes have been evacuated. Garden of the Gods Park and Garden of the Gods Visitor Center are closed.

A Type 1 Incident Management Team was ordered within a few hours of the first report of the fire. A Type 1 IMTeam is the largest and most qualified team that manages wildfires and other all-hazard incidents.

We are checking on an unconfirmed report that at least one military Modular Airborne FireFighting Systems (MAFFS) C-130 aircraft has been activated. Two are based at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs 11 miles from the Waldo Canyon fire. Through yesterday, none of the eight MAFFS around the country had been used on fires this year.

We will post more information about the Waldo Canyon fire later. Check back with us for more details.

Firefighters in Colorado are working 8 large wildfires

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , , 8 Comments on Firefighters in Colorado are working 8 large wildfires

Map of Colorado wildfires, June 23, 2012

The map of Colorado shows eight large wildfires that are keeping firefighters in the state busy today. (Map: Google/MODIS/Wildfire Today)

10:15 p.m. MT, June 23, 2012

New fires reported today include:

  • State Line Fire, near Bondad
  • Waldo Canyon Fire, west of Colorado Springs. Estimated at 2,000 acres at 9 p.m. Saturday night. A Type 1 Incident Management Team has been ordered. Approximately 1,050 homes have been evacuated.
  • Treasure Fire, east of Leadville
  • Woodland Heights Fire, near Estes Park, 21 structures confirmed damaged.

There is not a great deal of information available about these new fires, but here are some resources to check:

Anchorage and Colorado Springs to lose funding for helicopters

Author Bill GabbertPosted on Categories UncategorizedTags , 4 Comments on Anchorage and Colorado Springs to lose funding for helicopters

The Anchorage Fire Department is losing the funding for the firefighting helicopter that it has been using for the last four years. The grant that had been financing the helicopter is expiring and unless they can obtain new funding from the state of Alaska or another grant, they will not have the use of the helicopter this summer.

Anchorage helicopter
Anchorage Fire Department helicopter. KTUU photo

Colorado Springs can no longer afford to operate their two OH-58C military surplus police department helicopters which were sometimes used on wildfires. They are trying to sell them on the Internet. The minimum auction bid on one of them for $170,000 has been met.

Colorado Springs helicopter
Colorado Springs helicopter

Colorado Springs has some very serious budget problems. They are laying off three firefighters, as well as the police officers and a mechanic that were assigned to the helicopters. The city is turning off one-third of its street lights in order to save $1.2 million in energy and bulb replacement.

UPDATE March 24, 2010:

Colorado Springs sold both helicopters. Here is an article from KKTV dated yesterday:

A bidder from North Dakota has purchased a Colorado Springs Police helicopter that was auctioned off on-line after the city came up short of funds to keep the police choppers in the air.

Michael Kratz bought the helicopter for just over $179,000, That’s $20,000 more than the opening bid. The two helicopters were military surplus and given to the city but the city had to ground the choppers to make up for a budget shortfall.

The first helicopter, a 1968 Bell OH58-C, sold for $170,000 in late February, the second was a 1970 model of the same helicopter.

The sale of the helicopters was handled by City Utilities, that department is responsible for disposing of surplus property.