Wildfire Season Underway
Severe drought conditions, high temperatures and low humidity are a portent of what may shape up to be a dangerous year for forest fires in the West. In Central Colorado the Springer Fire, 3.5 miles southwest of Lake George in Park County, burned more than 1,145 acres forcing the evacuation of several residents. It began on June 17 and investigators believe it may have been started by recreational shooters. Air tankers fighting the fire were grounded for about 90 minutes due to reports of a meteor shower.
A fire along the Arkansas River between Texas Creek and Parkdale burned about six acres on June 20, forcing the closure of U.S. 50 for nearly 24 hours while helicopters battled the blaze. Dubbed the Spikebuck Fire, it was apparently started by highway mowing equipment.
As we went to press, there were at least eight fires burning across Colorado including a 100-acre blaze off Hwy 91 north of Leadville and the Waldo Canyon fire in El Paso County which has forced the evacuation of the entire town of Manitou Springs and has consumed nearly 2,500 acres.
Fiber-optic Cable cut, Again
Internet and phone service in Chaffee County were disrupted for about two hours on June 6 after a fiber-optic cable was cut along U.S. 285. Four Verizon cell towers were affected, causing service outages between Salida and Leadville. A Century Link work crew responded and restored service.
This appears to be an ongoing problem as a fiber-optic line was inadvertently cut on May 8 by Poncha Springs town employees while cleaning a ditch, cutting DSL and some wireless service to Salida and Buena Vista for most of the day. Excavators are asked to call 811 before digging to help avoid these disruptions.
No Go on Low-Altitude Flights
The U.S. Air Force has decided to indefinitely postpone its low-altitude training flights after receiving about 1,600 public comments. The flights, which would have originated at Cannon Air Force Base near Clovis, New Mexico, were to take place over parts of Chaffee County and the San Luis Valley and all of Gunnison County.
First announced in 2010, the plan called for tactical navigation exercises of some 60,700 acres using the MC-130J turboprop and CV-22 “Osprey” aircraft. The original proposal indicated that 40 percent of the flights would take place between 500 and 1,000 feet above ground level, mostly on weekends and after dark.
Mountain Lions in the News
Mountain lions are out and about as Colorado Parks and Wildlife received two reports of sightings in Buena Vista, May 27 and 28. Cats were spotted along the railroad tracks and along Cottonwood Creek.
On June 13, a mountain lion was euthanized by CPW officers after it grabbed a house cat from a backyard in the Lincoln Park area on the south side of Cañon City. The lion was pursued through open fields by deputies, police and wildlife officers and finally put down in the 900 block of Grand Avenue.
According to the Colorado Dept. of Natural Resources website, lions are most commonly found in areas with plentiful deer and adequate cover. They suggest the following if you encounter a mountain lion:
• Do not approach a lion, especially one that is feeding or with kittens. Most mountain lions will try to avoid a confrontation. Give them a way to escape.
• Stay calm when you come upon a lion. Talk calmly yet firmly to it. Move slowly.
• Stop or back away slowly, if you can do it safely. Running may stimulate a lion’s instinct to chase and attack. Face the lion and stand upright.
• Do all you can to appear larger. Raise your arms. Open your jacket if you’re wearing one. If you have small children with you, protect them by picking them up so they won’t panic and run.
• Fight back if a lion attacks you. Lions have been driven away by prey that fights back. People have fought back with rocks, sticks, caps or jackets, garden tools and their bare hands successfully. Remain standing or try to get back up.
Notable Quotes:
“(Chaffee County) is a big amusement park. It is difficult for me to say you can play here, but not over here. We are all citizens of the United States.” – Chaffee County Commissioner Dave Potts, at a meeting to discuss OHV (off-highway vehicle) use on county roads. – The Mountain Mail, June 7, 2012.
“I love your sign … I love the colors. I love the font. It’s an excellent sign. In my opinion, the P and Z is anti-pawn shop.” – Buena Vista Trustee and Board of Adjustment member Carrie Carey, after overturning a sign-plan denial for a pawn shop’s sign by Town Planning and Zoning commissioners. – The Chaffee County Times, June 7, 2012.
“It must have been humongously large. I think this thing went down on the East Coast or in another country … but wherever it landed, you can be sure it made a ker-thunk.” – Chaffee County Fire Protection District Chief Jim Wingert, on a meteor sighting over Salida on June 20. – The Mountain Mail, June 22, 2012.
“I may have said something like it will produce stupid students, or something like that, but I did not say we have stupid students.” – Gunnison Watershed RE1J School Board Member Don Hagar, defending comments made at a public meeting in reference to Gunnison Elementary School students being “stupid.” – Gunnison County Times, June 7, 2012.
“The river is running the lowest I’ve ever seen it … It’s the longest time I’ve ever had.” – FIBArk Downriver Race winner Andy Corra, commenting on the lack of water for the annual competition. The Arkansas River was running less than 300 cfs (cubic feet per second) this year compared to 3,300 cfs last year. – The Mountain Mail, June 18, 2012.
“We do have a particular fondness for photos of cops confiscating big pots of marijuana, however. We will come and take these photos if we know about the drug bust. If the next one happens to be in your neighborhood, and you have your phone or camera and want to send us a photo, that would be good, too.” – Leadville Herald-Democrat Editor Marcia Martinek, in her June 7, 2012 editorial.
