For those in the Colorado Black Forest

[MikeBjerum]

Many people displaced, and it may be permanent for most 

Earlier this week a good friend was evacuated from his home, and even though nobody will tell him for sure he believes his house is gone as of yesterday.  He is staying with friends and making temporary arrangements, because even if the house is safe he won't be back in it for quite a while with clean up needs.

Pray for all in the area and for those working hard to protect everyone please.

[Ichiban]

FIRE STATS:  • Contained: 5%  • Two deaths  • Wind: W at 21 mph  • Acres burned:  15,700  • Evacuated:  38,000 • Houses lost:  360.

Relatively heavily populated forest that is bone dry.  Houses are consumed in 5-10 minutes due to the super heated air.  It is headed for more homes.  This is particularly difficult to deal with because of the Waldo Canyon fire that took two lives and 350 homes less than a year ago.  Both fires have taken friend's houses.

[MikeBjerum]

From my friend:

Posted 9:00 AM Wednesday

I'm OK. Stayed at a freinds house last night. Going to try to get some furnishing for my Chestnut house and move into there. By the looks of the pictures I do not think I have a house in BF any more. Thanks for your prayers

Posted 1:00 PM Thursday

Prayers for Black Forest, CO.. Currantly 360 homes destroyed and counting. My home and 1 of my neighbors is still unknown but all the homes arournd them are destoyed. not much hope for my home. I am safe, a little overwhelmed, but safe. Trying to move into a second house that I own in town. The Lord has blessed me with many freinds from church and out side of the church with stuff to help furnish this house that I am trying to move into, seeing how I was trying to sell it was totaly empty and belive I have lost everything. Thank you all for your prayers.

[crusader rabbit]

So many have lost so much to these tragic fires.  My prayers go out for each and every one who lives in the devastated areas--and all the domestic animals and wildlife, too.

Crusader Rabbit

[MikeBjerum]

Saturday morning post:

Got a call at 5:00 this morning. confirming my house is a totol loss

[Sponsor]

[tombogan03884]

Saturday morning post:

I saw this house on the news Fri AM, last reports I heard it had spread to the outskirts of Colorado Springs.
That has the potential to be a very bad thing .

On the plus side, this leaves them free to move to a freer State.
Any one who was ranting against Colorado's recent laws then lost their home to this fire should consider it a sign , YES, move.

[MikeBjerum]

As was posted earlier, he is fortunate that he does have a house to move into.  It is in town, and was up for sale.  Since he was evacuated by the Sheriff, all he has is the clothes on his back, his go bag, his pickup, and his dogs.  They gave him zero time to grab anything else.

Right now Donny is more overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support than in losing his home and a lifetime of "stuff."

[tombogan03884]

Just like any other natural event, fire damage can be prevented or reduced if it is considered during construction and landscaping .
Your friends house shows one of the worst possible things you can do in fire country .
If he had cut the tree's back to produce a fire break around his house it might not have been as pretty, but it would probably still be there.

[MikeBjerum]

Remember Tom, this is Colorado.  Unbelievable regulations on what you can and cannot do on your property.  It is hard to tell, but Black Forrest is a fairly dense community ... dense as in proximity of houses to each other.  It is like building close to a river or lake, or building near a fault line.  You do the best you can with the rules you must live with.  I asked him once about construction materials, and he said that when the firestorms start everything incinerates.  He compared it to a fireproof safe and what happens to the contents if you open them too soon.

[tombogan03884]

This needs a different thread .

http://www.downrange.tv/forum/index.php?topic=22893.new#new