USEFUL LINKS: http://inciweb.org/incident/2929/
FIRE MITIGATION INFO: firewise.org
UPDATE 6:49 pm, 6/24/12
Manitou Springs: effective 8 PM (CORRECTION from immediately) you may return to your homes. Crystal Park- still mandatory evacuation (EPC Sheriff source for both info)
UPDATE 5:42pm 6/24/12
From Sallie Clark, FEMA will reimburse 75% of funds used in fighting Waldo Canyon Fire.
Pre Evacuation Notices (These are precautionary notices only - not Mandatory Evacuation, but be prepared to evacuate on short notice if official notification for Evacuation occurs)
- In Teller County: East of Safeway ,North of Safeway to Rampart Range Road, South to Edlow Road
UPDATE 4:06p, 6/24/12
Heule: "Waldo Canyon Fire has not yet crossed Highway 24 to the South. Spend some time doing fire mitigation around your house. It works!" Mayor Bach: "Best thing to do is to do what you're told." Manitou Mayor Snyder: "No loss of homes yet... very successful evacuation." Lamborn: "MAFFswill step in tomorrow morning." Jerry Mar USFS: "You will see lots of smoke, fire and aviation.... We're bringing in the best of best... the navy seals of firefighting. This is now a priority one fire." Sheriff Terry Maketa: "3000 people have been displaced from their homes. Even though we don't have containment, we're trying to steer the fire away from people and property. All agencies are working well together. Common plea: please cooperate. This is a fluid situation. Conditions change every minute. This is the greatest natural threat in this community in years." Sallie Clark: "Working to get funds released to help pay for the resources that need to be brought in. We want to make sure everyone is safe. Local disaster designation means federal money as a proactive measure." Sunny Smaldino CSFD PIO: "70 firefighters working the front lines. Cheyenne Canyon, Ute Valley and Palmer Park closed so people don't accidentally start fires in other areas. No diminished firefighter staffing in the city. Woodland Park shelter has moved to Divide."
No structures have been lost, but some are in danger. As of now, no new evacuations. 11,000 have been evacuated so far.
UPDATE 3:25PM, 6/24/12
Next press conference with CSFD takes place at 4pm. We'll have more updates then.
Live stream from the Gazette is here: http://www.gazette.com/sections/live/
Update: 2:15p, SUN 6/24/12
Rocky Mountain Health Care Services has opened their facility at 310 S. 14th Street for evacuees who want to be with their pets. Dog food is being provided. /KCO
Update: 1:46, SUN 06/24/12
Sallie Clark County Commissioner owns a bed & breakfast in Manitou Springs. She says the fire will have a detrimental economic impact. Also from Commissioner Clark, "People need to be concerned about the air quality. Please stay inside, and stay out of the sun." Clark: "If we have to tap into the emergency Tabor fund we will." More from Clark: "People need to be prepared, but don't panic. We just want to make sure people are safe." /KCO
Link to list of how to help and where to get help, via Gazette: HERE.
Update: 12:49pm, SUN 06/24/12
Via Sallie Clark, county commissioner District 3: Amy Lathen, chair of the board of County Commissioners just signed an Emergency Disaster Declaration in order to receive federal funding to fight the Waldo Canyon Fire.
Update: 12:10pm, SUN 06/24/12
CSPD is asking anyone remaining in Cedar Heights to evacuate IMMEDIATELY!
Gazette's Evac and Fire map is here.
Update: 11:51am , SUN 06/24/12
From Mayor Bach: "A lot of people are in shock and awe. There is an overwhelming sense of depression-- you never think it will happen to you. This is the #1 fire in Colorado right now. It's super hot with no humidity. The only way to contain this is with air tankers. We've got seven up there now and two more on the way." /KCC
Update: 11:01am, SUN 06/24/12
Update from Governor Hickenlooper.
Update: 10:06AM, SUN 06/24/12
Lamborn on absence of MAFFs from Peterson.
Update: 10:02AM , SUN 06/24/12
Greg Heule, USFS spokesman says transition to Type 1 firefighting team should be complete tonight or in the morning.
Keeping the fire north of Highway 24 is the current objective of firefighting teams. The smoke column will build today as the temperature goes up. An estimated 400 personnel are on the scene of the Waldo Canyon fire. So far, there have been no injuries or structures destroyed.
From Peggy Littleton: to find out if loved ones are at Cheyenne Mountain High School or Woodland Park High School High School, you can call 719-650-9132.
Also from Greg Huele, the public can call 720-402-7935, 720-237-9947, or 720-237-3417 for information from 7am to 10pm.
There is a community meeting tomorrow night for evacuees at 7pm at Calvary Worship Center.
Anticipated movement of the fire is to the North East,. but it moved south last night.
Officials estimate the fire is at 2000 acres after infrared flyover last night. Still no information on the cause of the fire.
The governor is on his way to survey scene, but at last notice was going to be in Green Mountain Falls at incident command.
Westbound and Eastbound Highway 24 is closed at 31st street to Woodland Park.
The Air Force Academy is being used as staging area for United States Forest Service aircraft.
Update: 8:16 AM, SUN 06/24/12
Next briefing from the CSFDPIO will be at 9AM. Andrea Chalfin will provide an update then. A call center has been established to answer non-emergent questions regarding the Waldo Canyon fire 719-955-0742. /DU
Update: 7:05 AM, SUN 06/24/12
El Paso County Sheriff: Mandatory evacuations for the south side of 24. Green Mountain Falls, Chipita Park, and Cascade.
Mandatory Evacuation list:
South of HWY 24: Green Mountain Falls, Chipita Park, Cascade
Manitou Springs, including Crystal Park
Cedar Heights Subdivision and Mountain Shadows south of Chuck Wagon
Boundaries are Rampart Range Road to the west and everything west of 30th and Centennial from Gateway Road north to Chuck Wagon.
Call 211 (Pikes Peak United Way) for non-emergency questions.
Hay donations accepted at Penrose Equestrian Center, where large animals are being sheltered. Small bales only, no alfalfa. Best access is off of 8th Street.
Update: 12:54 AM, SUN 06/24/12
El Paso County Sheriff: Evacuations are beginning for all of Manitou Springs, including Crystal Park. They will start north of Manitou Avenue.
Update: 11:43 PM, SAT 06/23/12
Mandatory evacuations in Manitou Springs along Alpine Trail, Jeneva, and Lucerne (Gazette).
Update: 10:30 PM, SAT 06/23/12
Fire is now estimated to be 2500 acres.
Update: 8:15 PM SAT 06/23/12
Fire is at 2000 acres with 0% containment. No structures damaged, no injuries (Gazette).
Official Colorado Springs evacuation information from the city's website:
Cedar Heights Subdivision and Mountain Shadows south of Chuck Wagon are under mandatory evacuation.
Boundaries are Rampart Range Road and everything west of 30thand Centennial from Gateway Road north to Chuck Wagon. This is the only mandatory or voluntary evacuation in effect at this time.
CORRECTION to reported voluntary evacuations for Mountain Shadows. There are no evacuation orders in place at this time for Mountain Shadows other than those south of Chuck Wagon Road.
Garden of the Gods Park and Garden of the Gods Visitor Center are closed.
Pikes Peak Humane Society is taking pets from the fire until 9pm. After 9 call 473-1741 & an emergency team will be available.
Call 211 (Pikes Peak United Way) for non-emergency questions.
Garden of the Gods, and its Visitor Center, as well as tourist attractions along Hwy 24 and campgrounds are closed.
Next media briefing expected around 9am Sunday.
Audio:
5:30pm
Acreage involved in the Waldo Canyon fire is at least 1000. Resources from the Springer fire will be helping with the Waldo Canyon fire. Heat, terrain and multi head fire make it a challenging fire to fight. Next media update will happen at 8pm.
Pikes Peak Humane (@HSPPR) Emergency Response providing on-site care for pets at Waldo Canyon Fire- If there is overflow @HSPPR stands ready to accept animals!
4:38PM Mountain Shadows voluntary evacuation is going out via reverse 911 call. Next briefing from Colorado Springs Fire Department Public Information Unit should happen around 5:30 or 6pm.
Pikes Peak Red Cross says they are mostly in need of cash donations at this time, for those who would like to help.
More info from InciWeb HERE.
4:27pm There are a multitude of mandatory evacuation areas, including: Cedar Heights, Rampart Range Road, Allegheny East to I-25, then north to the Air Force Academy. According to CSFD PIO, basically northwest Colorado Springs. If you do not live on the westside, don't worry. Regular fire service is NOT compromised. Garden of the Gods is closed.
The fire has jumped Rampart Range road and is behaving erratically.
There are no new evacuations at this time.
Next briefing from the Colorado Springs Fire Department Public Information Unit will happen at 4:15pm (@CSFDPIO)
Updated SAT 3:36 PM.
Mayor Bach is on the scene at the mobile command unit near 30th and Colorado. There is a MANDATORY EVACUATION for Cascade area on the north side of Hwy 24 from County Line east to Waldo Canyon
The are voluntary evacuations for people living west of 30th Street from Gateway to Chuckwagon.
Two tankers have been ordered, so we will likely see retardant being dropped. At least five different jurisdictions are involved in what is now being called the Pyramid Fire.
Highway 24 has not been closed yet, but officials are asking the public to stay away. The fire is now well over 100 acres. According to Sallie Clark, the United States Forest Service has been called in.
Penrose equestrian center is the shelter for large animals located at 1045 W Rio Grande St.
Mandatory evacuations of Cedar Heights. Do not use Highway 24. Cave of the Winds, North Pole, Pikes Peak and camping in that area are closed. Officials say conditions with the wind and heat make this a dangerous fire. Voluntary evacuations for Green Mountain Falls, Cascade, Chipita Park. The Norris Penrose Equestrian Center is now available for large animals with in the evacuation area. Red Cross is opening a shelter at Cheyenne Mountain High School.
Evacuations of Cedar Heights are starting, according to the Colorado Springs Fire Department. Fire officials are responding to a wildland fire near the Waldo Canyon area. The Colorado Springs Fire Department urges all hikers and traffic to leave the Waldo Canyon area and stay away from access points. They also ask for folks not to call 911 due to the fire, as it's overwhelming call takers. Officials have stopped traffic to Rampart Range Road from Garden of the Gods/Woodland Park.
