Colorado Springs Wildfires

[FundiesInMyFamily]

I always assumed it was a very fancy vacationy type place.

Yeah, that would be a no. There are some nice places down there - Garden of the Gods is beautiful, the Royal Gorge isn't too far, The Broadmore is a georgous hotel with really nice grounds and a kick ass brunch, and yes the Olympic training center is down there. As far as the town itself, I'm sure there are nice neighborhoods and nice people there, but it's pretty much a shithole. There are some really pricey homes up in the hills surrounding the Springs, that's what's burning right now unfortunately.

[IceQueen]

Well this thread blew my mind :lol: :lol: :lol:

I am/was an ice skater and the Broadmoor Skating Club is a big deal. They have a large and prestigious summer competition that recently happened and it is a high level training center. I have heard many delusional parents bragging about how easy it would be for them to move to CS so their special snowflake child could train there. Like I said I was never talented enough to justify going that far away to compete so I only have this picture perfect image in my head of Colorado Springs :lol: Which you have all tarnished.

[Caramel]

Hey does anyone know where the Jeubs live? Are they in town or closer to the hills?

I'm sure Chris will turn the fire into a fine money making opportunity... Can't wait to see his spin on all of this destruction around us.

They live in Monument, CO, just north of Colorado Springs and just over a little hill and across a lake from me. They've both been tweeting about the fires, as - I admit - have I.

And I grew up in Colorado springs, near the Broadmoor. And went to high school with the skaters and Carlo Fassi's son.

[Caramel]

Monument IS under evac orders as of this afternoon. It's on their facebook & twitter feeds. They went to Denver to stay with friends.

Their part of Monument is under pre-evac orders. (The rest isn't under any orders.) They must just have decided to get out, even though they didn't have to. There was some tricky firefighting going on at the Air Force Academy this afternoon that could easily have gone very wrong for those of us who live in this direction.

[HoneyBunny]

The nice part of Colorado Springs is the northern part, and all of those people go to Denver for anything interesting.

Interesting...like gang crossfire that kills a young police officer. I'll be honest, I get into Denver once or twice a year anymore. We used to go downtown every weekend. We used to go to the mountains a couple of times a month but with gas prices and traffic the way they are, those trips are becoming rarer and rarer.

I'm not a native, but we've been here 25 years. I have to admit that it's losing a bit of it's original allure...with lupus the winters are getting rough and the past five days were crazy hot without A/C. But then there's a cool evening like tonight and an amazing sunset over the mountains (from all the smoke) watched from our deck while drinking a beer and I'm convinced that it doesn't get much better than this.

Just got a newsflash on my phone. Over 300 houses destroyed in Waldo Canyon in the Springs. Those right wing conservatives must have really pissed off God, and She's gunning for 'em.

[Caramel]

Just got a newsflash on my phone. Over 300 houses destroyed in Waldo Canyon in the Springs. Those right wing conservatives must have really pissed off God, and She's gunning for 'em.

Not going to get into the what sucks most about Colorado Springs and Colorado, at large. Nor will I get into how sucking so makes the place deserving of an inferno. I will, however, mention that there are no houses in Waldo Canyon. The fire started in or near Waldo Canyon, was named for Waldo Canyon, but spread waaaaayyyyy beyond Waldo Canyon, across the county line, and - as of this morning - over more than 15,000 acres, including not just a few acres in the city where there have burned some quite garish homes and some quite modest homes, 200-300 of them most likely, though it's hard to know as the fire is still burning, half the city is still closed, and the smoke hasn't completely cleared.

Note: I misquotalized above. I attributed the words of HoneyBunny to PokaDot. My apologies. I haven't slept much, some scenes of my childhood are gone for good, and I've been trying to think of what to say to some friends who lost their house. Oh yeah, and I've been packing to bug out, if necessary.

[PokaDot]

Interesting...like gang crossfire that kills a young police officer. I'll be honest, I get into Denver once or twice a year anymore. We used to go downtown every weekend. We used to go to the mountains a couple of times a month but with gas prices and traffic the way they are, those trips are becoming rarer and rarer.

I'm not a native, but we've been here 25 years. I have to admit that it's losing a bit of it's original allure...with lupus the winters are getting rough and the past five days were crazy hot without A/C. But then there's a cool evening like tonight and an amazing sunset over the mountains (from all the smoke) watched from our deck while drinking a beer and I'm convinced that it doesn't get much better than this.

Just got a newsflash on my phone. Over 300 houses destroyed in Waldo Canyon in the Springs. Those right wing conservatives must have really pissed off God, and She's gunning for 'em.

Well, Denver metro has it's issues too (as every metro area does). I was thinking more shopping, food and performing arts.

You (general you) really don't need A/C in Colorado except for a few weeks here and there, and for those, if you can get ahold of a swamp cooler (I have a portable one) it works just fine. But 100+F sucks no matter where you are.

*snip* I'm trying to not be so negative....so I'll cut my lil'rant out.

Edit: if you want to see some of the pictures of the aftermath in the populated areas, 9news has a slideshow here: http://www.9news.com/news/article/27454 ... anyon-Fire It's pretty devastating.

[skankbiscuit]

I live in the Springs and love it. I don't think it's a shithole. I'm horribly upset our city is burning.

[NoMoreBabiesHere]

Wow, I read the boards everyday and rarely post but the hatred toward the Springs in this thread catches me by surprise. I thought when I opened the thread it would be hoping the people of the town the best, but boy was I wrong. I have lived in the Springs for 25 years, grew up here, married here, and raising a family here. We are attend church once a year Catholics and while we have run into fundies and the uber religious they have thinned out a lot since the crash of 2000. We are liberals and while the majority of the town is not we have found plenty who are. We know dozens of people (non-fundies) who were stationed here with the military and loved it so much they left the military so they could stay. The outdoor opportunities here are amazing and we believe its the best place to raise our 4 girls. Thing is this thread hurts because we are not the uber-fundie, who preach those who don't follow us are choosing eternal damnation and we lost our house and only one in our family (our 2 yr old) is not traumatized to the point that they can't sleep and the tears can't stop falling. While we lived near Pike National Forest on the NW side we were so far away from it in our minds (6 whole blocks) that we did not think this could ever happen. I will never be able to forget the pure anguish I felt as I saw the mtn side on fire while I rushed home to get my older children and then get my youngest from daycare and the fear that I might be stopped on my journey to get my girls. I do not wish that anguish on anyone, not Chris Jeub or Steve Maxwell and both of those people make my skin crawl and make me want to punch them into next year. So please take it easy on our town. There are plenty of us in town that are like minded as those on freejinger and we did not do anything to deserve what happened to us.

[VVV]

You (general you) really don't need A/C in Colorado except for a few weeks here and there, and for those, if you can get ahold of a swamp cooler (I have a portable one) it works just fine. But 100+F sucks no matter where you are.

I'm currently spending my 28th summer in Colorado as an adult and every year I have heard people say the above as justification for not putting in a/c. And it is a lie. Particularly over the last ten or twelve years, it has been much more than a few weeks here or there that have been brutally hot. (I am in the Denver-Boulder area.) Swamp coolers are OK but they are not nearly ubiquitous enough in my experience.

Regarding the Jeubs, my cousin and her family live in Monument, in the pre-evac area, and I think they were planning on bugging out before they were required to because they were worried about traffic once evacuation was ordered. They're very worried about their house and about their ten-year-old daughter who was already phobic about fire.

To the poster who lost her house (NMBH), I am so very sorry for your losses and for the emotional trauma. You have my prayers and best wishes.

[Caramel]

I am appalled by the spirit of gratuitous nastiness evinced by some of the posters in this thread.

[Cheesemaker]

I live on the NM/CO border, we've had several fires recently here, and all over CO that make me very scared for the state.

If anyone wants to check out the fire details,

http://www.geomac.gov/viewer/viewer.shtml click on Weber Canyon fire you can add layers etc. The fire does appear to have jumped a lake and is moving north.

Also: http://www.inciweb.org/state/6/ is a good source of updated information.

News outlets often don't have the maps/details.

Just drove through CO Springs recently, not a fan. To many chain everythings there for my tastes, not enough local/independent things.

[FundiesInMyFamily]

I am appalled by the spirit of gratuitous nastiness evinced by some of the posters in this thread.

Nobody is wishing ill of anyone down in the Springs. To the contrary, I've had my tv on the news pretty much all day for the last week. Some of us don't like the Springs. Some of us think it sucks - that doesn't mean we wish ill will against the people there. I am scared and saddend by what is happening in my state. I have dozens of friends and family living on the west side of Boulder near the Flagstaff fire so I know what they are going through down there.

For the record, I live in Lakewood and I hate it here too - I'm just not a big city metro kinda girl, but I live here to be close to my son's school.

FYI the whole air conditioner thing is a lie!! eleventy!!! While we do have decent summers here and it does usually cool off at night, I've had my a/c on for the last 10 days straight as we've had 100+ temps, breaking records all over the place. It doesn't happen very often, but it does happen. Usually we have 90+ temps from July on and upper 90's in August. So while we're not drenched in 90% humidity like the east cost where you have to run the a/c 24/7, we do need it and we do use it.

[PokaDot]

Nobody is wishing ill of anyone down in the Springs.

This. I might hate on the springs, but I don't wish it any ill will. In fact, I have a smartphone app debuting soon (any day now-just waiting on Apple), and I've pledged 10% of the sales (for the first month) to help out the fire victims in the Springs. It probably won't be very much (maybe $100), but it's the least I can do.

FYI the whole air conditioner thing is a lie!! eleventy!!! While we do have decent summers here and it does usually cool off at night, I've had my a/c on for the last 10 days straight as we've had 100+ temps, breaking records all over the place. It doesn't happen very often, but it does happen. Usually we have 90+ temps from July on and upper 90's in August. So while we're not drenched in 90% humidity like the east cost where you have to run the a/c 24/7, we do need it and we do use it.

Lies lies lies!!!!! I lived there for 25 years! My family never needed a/c, our massive swamp cooler (think the size of a large chest freezer) + the mini one for me (because the frakking woodpeckers ripped out the insulation near my room) did us just fine!

Then again.....it could be because our house had massive cottonwood and aspens lining it, providing shade...until one fell on the house during that April snowstorm back in 2004-then we had to cut some down...and a lot of the aspens died from some disease.....but we still don't need a/c!

Swamp coolers are cool! If it would work here on the east coast I'd bring my mini one over! Instead I have a dehumidifier, because 35% humidity (which is the lowest it can get my room) is still too much humidity for me.

[FundiesInMyFamily]

Lies lies lies!!!!!

You have fun with your swamp coolers. I'll give up the a/c when they pry it from my cold dead cooled-off hands. :D

[LaydNimue]

You have fun with your swamp coolers. I'll give up the a/c when they pry it from my cold dead cooled-off hands. :D

Agree! I'm a CO native and we could not live w/o our central a/c. It's the 1st thing we installed when we bought our current home and I like it brrrrrr cold! Plus it's very dry here, so we have a humidifier attached to the system. I do know a lot of people who just like to open windows, it's a pretty popular option for those who don't have allergies.

We also don't all use or even have fireplaces :D And we dislike Californians and Texans more than CS :o ;) Doesn't mean we want the places/people to burn down.

[PokaDot]

You guys are crazy!!! A/C costs way more than swamp coolers! And sticking your head in front of the swamp cooler is tons of fun!

And most, if not all, Coloradans dislike California and Texas. I think it's a rule....if something goes wrong, we know it's one of them at fault....like that stupid driver in front of you. I bet they're from Texas.

[Librul]

Growing up, our "second home" was the Colorado Springs area, and my parents lived there in retirement for years. We spent time there every year and I love it the region. Garden of the Gods, ute pass area, the Peak, Manitou, all really dear to me. I am so sorry to see all of the destruction--hope all of you who live in the area are safe and that this is under control soon.

[Glass Cowcatcher]

I am appalled by the spirit of gratuitous nastiness evinced by some of the posters in this thread.

If you are referring to my "Where is your god?" post that was not a screed against the city. It was specifically directed against the glut of Evangelicals based in the area who take the "natural disasters are a punishment for sin!!!" mentality. Now they are on the receiving end of Mother Nature's wrath. I wish only the best to the people who live there!

[MissA]

I gotta say I am startled by how many Coloradans are on this board. I'm glad to know that our state is amply Freejingered:)

We have a reservation for a wedding anniversary mini-break at the Cliff House hotel in Manitou Springs in mid-July. I made it the night before the fire started. I keep going back and forth on whether or not to cancel it. Not that my own personal fire-related angst is even on the radar, but I hope (for selfish reasons as well as altruism) that they get it under control soonest. Supposedly today's weather helped a lot.

[NoMoreBabiesHere]

PokaDot, I am so sorry for how some people treated you here. We have been lucky and never encountered anything that bad. Been told we go to the "wrong" church, laughable attempts at bring us to Christ (um, hello, Catholics are Christian), and when I first started dating my husband an acquitance invited me over to cook like 4 big meals and we would split them and instead her intention was to give me a bible lesson on how to stay pure while dating (oops- I got pregnant instead!!) Overall though we have meet the friendliest people here and while we have done many TDYs in other states, Colorado and specifically Colorado Springs is where we want to live. Anyway the way people treated you was incredibly wrong and I hate how "Christians" sometimes do that.

As for the A/C debate, we had A/C put into the house we lost and it was the best money we ever spent. You didn't used to need A/C in Colorado but in my opinion you sure do now!!!

[last_one_picked]

As (practically) a native of the Springs-- one who detests living here-- I had to chime in. There are the nuts who are blaming the fire on God's judgment, etc., but most people, including the types of fundie-lites we snark on here, are pulling together and helping everyone who has been evacuated or who has lost their homes. The outpouring of support has really restored a lot of my faith in this city.

I think calling in the Colfax Street of Colorado is a bit much. Yeah, there are bad parts of town, and there's nothing to do but go to Denver and the shopping is absolutely abysmal, but our natural location is stunning. There's very little as beautiful as the Rocky Mountains!

Oh, and it gets hot here. Horribly, terribly hot. We survive with fans and lounging around our basements wearing very little clothing. It's a good thing we're not fundies! ;)

[LaydNimue]

Yes, the area surrounding Colorado Springs is beautiful, I'm sure that beauty draws many people to make and love a home there. Definetly worth visiting and playing in.

I haven't been on Colfax Ave for many years (agree, probably stretching/exaggerating to compare it to the springs, especially to 1980's Colfax!), but I did see my first meth-head prostitute hanging outside the CS Wal*mart while attending a conference with my husband last summer. Will not be taking shocked self to that side of town again, lol.

[Peas n carrots]

CS has its good and bad. I love Garden if the Gods, Royal Gorge, Pikes Peak and Manitou Springs. Went on many vacations there...CO is the destination of choice for most Nebraskans, along with the Ozarks to the southeast in MO.

But I've also noticed the rampant chain everything there is to offer there too. If you have ever read the book Fast Food Nation you can see why the city was picked as the main example of what is wrong with the SAD.

[PokaDot]

PokaDot, I am so sorry for how some people treated you here. We have been lucky and never encountered anything that bad. Been told we go to the "wrong" church, laughable attempts at bring us to Christ (um, hello, Catholics are Christian), and when I first started dating my husband an acquitance invited me over to cook like 4 big meals and we would split them and instead her intention was to give me a bible lesson on how to stay pure while dating (oops- I got pregnant instead!!) Overall though we have meet the friendliest people here and while we have done many TDYs in other states, Colorado and specifically Colorado Springs is where we want to live. Anyway the way people treated you was incredibly wrong and I hate how "Christians" sometimes do that.

I think I just have terrible luck when it comes to stuff like that. Maybe it's something about the vibe I give off that screams "harass me!" I just try to tell myself not to judge a group of people based on those experiences, but that was a hard time in my life and it just didn't help....

But yeah, I'm totally going back to Colorado when I get a chance, I can't stand where I live now (no horizon, no mountains because I'm sorry the Appalachians are not mountains, but very small hills, and the people here are just angry and a neighbor once yelled at me because I said hi to them on my way out the door). I've got some promising opportunities to head back to Denver, and I can't wait!

And it sounds like you fell victim to the "Colorado Curse" as companies like to call it. They send people to Colorado on TDY and they never want to leave! That's how I wound up being raised in Colorado....The company my dad worked for changed the location of the program to CO, and he never left....he even changed companies in order to stay. So I guess he's to blame for my being completely oblivious to the fact that the saying "April showers bring May blizzards" is actually "April showers bring May flowers", which I found out last year, when I commented on needing to find my coat for the rest of March/April because it still might snow (I guess the east coast actually follows the seasons).