Colorado Springs Wildfires Map Grows, as Waldo Canyon Fire Jumps Perimeter
ST LOUIS (LALATE) – The Colorado Springs Wildfires Map 2012 grew last night as the Waldo Canyon Fire jumped perimeter containment lines. The Colorado Springs neighboring wildfire erupted on Saturday. But last night, the Waldo Canyon Fire made its most destructive advance to date. The fire consumed the first sets of homes as its aggressive blazes moved closed to Colorado Springs and far over the containment lines revealed to news on Tuesday.
In a news briefing today, officials in the Colorado wildfires fight reveal that the Waldo Canyon Fire situation is far worse today June 27, 2012 than yesterday. Mayor Steve Bach tells news that the fire is far more aggressive today than anyone could have expected.
By Wednesday morning, thirty-two thousand residents were on mandatory evacuation. Bach warned of more residents to be displaced today. The Colorado Springs Fire Department is telling news that the fire’s advance flooded cellphone bandwidth in the area, prompting difficulty for emergency dispatch personnel.
Today, part of the U.S. Air Force Academy is on evacuation. Officials tell news that the fire advanced onto land of the U.S. Air Force Academy. Gov. John Hickenlooper tells news that the Waldo Canyon Fire is now the worse disaster he has ever seen in his state. He tells news that the Air Force Academy, alone, sent over two thousand residents on evacuation last night.
Colorado Springs Fire Chief Richard Brown says that Wednesday will be a critical day to hold the fire’s advance. Brown told news that he has the support of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano in the fight. Brown in Wednesday’s news briefing indicated that these Colorado wildfires are prompting disasters of “epic proportions”. Brown sent mandatory evacuation notices to northwest Colorado Springs and parts of the Air Force Academy last night.
“There were people’s homes burned to the ground. It was surreal” the Governor told news. “There’s no question, it’s serious. It’s as serious as it gets.” Officials report to news that the fire has grown now to 6200 acres. As of last night, the fire remained only at five percent containment.
As of Tuesday June 27, 2012, new mandatory evacuation orders were expanded. Currently, new mandatory orders are in place for communities west and north of Garden of the Gods and I-25. The Air Force Academy has evacuated residents in the Pine Valley and Douglas Valley Housing communities. Also new mandatory evacuations were issued for Kissing Camels, south of Garden of the Gods Road, west of Centennial Blvd, east of 30th Street, north of Fillmore St. and Fontmore Road.
Officials tell news today that previous mandatory evacuation orders remain in place for the rest of Mountain Shadows and Peregrine, Cedar Heights, Cascade, Green Mountain Falls, Chipita Park, and Farish and Carrol Lake off Rampart Road
Firefighters indicate to news that voluntary evacuation orders still are unchanged for northeast Teller County including east of Highway 24, north of the El Paso/Teller County line to Baldwin Street and Rampart Range Road; residents south of Woodland Park and west to Edlow Road; and some residents of Edlow. Voluntary orders are also still in place for Woodland Park east of Safeway and north of Safeway to Rampart Range Road including homes south to Edlow Road.
Officials in Colorado Springs are telling evacuating residents to not turn off their gas. Rather, Springs Utilities will do shutoffs as warranted. More road closures were announced to news today as well. Sections of High Drive and sections of Rampart Range Road are closed Wednesday.
Firefighters indicate to news that evacuation shelters still remain open across the area. Those shelters are currently at Southeast YMCA on Jet Wing, Divide’s Summit Elementary School, and Colorado Springs’ Cheyenne Mountain High School. The Red Cross is also reporting that Lewis Palmer High School in Monument is open.
Officials indicate to news that evacuations are expected to grow today. While only seven percent of Colorado Springs residents were evacuated by Tuesday evening, that number could increase Wednesday.
While the Air Force Academy has evacuation orders in place for Pine Valley and Douglas Valley base housing, the housing facility for cadets is not currently under evacuation as of Tuesday evening. “The community of Colorado Springs has never seen a fire like this before. This is truly historic, unprecedented weather,” said U.S. Forest spokeswoman Jerri Marr.
New telephone key numbers were released to residents about the Waldo Canyon Fire. Those numbers are located HERE along with new evacuation orders. For the latest fire map click HERE and for previous orders about the Waldo Canyon Fire, click HERE.
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