It is now being reported that the High Park Wildfire has consumed 85,502 acres, has destroyed 238 homes, and is 45% contained. The Waldo Canyon Fire is threatening the U.S. Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs. It is also burning in the Garden of the Gods. Some friends skyped Carol and said they live in that area and are on standby for evacuation. They were ordered out but then went back to pre-evacuation notice when the fire turned back on itself.
At last report there are now 12 active wildfires in Colorado and the firefighting force is being stretched very thin as each new wildfire erupts. When we look at the map of Colorado and the location of wildfires it appears almost the entire State is on fire. The result of all these fires is going to be devastating to our State.
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As Indian people, before contact and even after for a time we used to do small controlled burns so that we would never have fires of the gigantic proportion they are today. When the governments that be, tried to subjogate our people and we had the ability to control our lands forcibly taken away from us, we began to see things like this happen. It is sad to see the forests burn in such a way because of the lack of appropriate environmental knowledge that needed to be applied long ago that would have prevented burns of this nature and size today. Now because of that lack of knowledge back then forests have been allowed to grow into huge stockpiles of dry brush and lumber just waiting for the right firestarter to burn it all. It is a serious loss and one that will take many years to recover.
It is pretty sad that what is happening now could have been prevented. Our community won't allow you to cut a live tree over 4" and the trees are over crowded and instead of a healthy forest floor we have one that crunches when you walk on it.
Add to that people who want to live 'in' the trees with kiln dried logs for log homes and then they put petroleum sealers on the exterior. It is no wonder that homes burn so easily. We have some homes in our community that have trees almost rubbing the house because the owner wants a nice dry log home that is nestled in the woods. Then when a wild fire breaks out they panic and want firefighters to drop everything and save their home. Common sense is not so common any more.
Our home is faced with real stone, and has a metal roof. Neither of which are flammable. Our only vulnerable spot is our deck which could cause problems but there is no way to fireproof it. Trees are cleared in a large perimeter from the house and any small trees that could be a ladder for fire to get to the larger trees are removed. Limbs are trimmed to 20' and no fuel is left on the ground.
Dirt, rock and steel don't burn and most of our house are those components and that still might not be enough in a fierce forest fire.
Bruce,
Do you really mean that your community will not allow you to cut trees more than 4 inches tall or did you mean 4 feet?
I hope that your home stays safe as well as your community. I can't imagine how scary it must be for everyone in CO. as well as surrounding states.
I hope that you and Carol stay safe!
Mary: Our covenants state that we can't cut a tree over 4" at the base. We have to get permission to cut any tree over that size. We had several trees creating a problem and were only allowed to cut one tree from the group. Things have loosened up a little if you happen to be one of the favored members.
Bruce,
Thank you for the clarification. I feel rather silly, but I didn't understand that you meant at the base. I now understand. Thank you.
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