The heat is on

The Waldo Canyon fire continues just outside our city limits, and it's still 0% contained.  It's now reached 3,600 acres with no end in sight.  I know that it just looks like a little plume of smoke in this picture, but if you look more closely you'll see that everything to the right of that dark plume of smoke is, well, more smoke. And those "clouds" to the left of it?  Again, more smoke.  It's really bad and getting worse.  To add to the drama, the mercury broke 100 F degrees yesterday (38 Celsius), and the record-breaking heat is expected to continue with no moisture predicted at all.

There is some good news, though:  Manitou Springs residents, who were 100% evacuated last night, have been allowed to go back home for now; the winds have kept the fire away from Colorado Springs and contained to Forest Service land; and not a single life or structure has been lost.  There has been a huge outpouring of support among residents for both the evacuees and the firefighters, with donations of non-perishable food, money, ice and Gatorade.  Even though Manitou residents are back at home, many many residents of Colorado Springs and the smaller towns up the pass remain in shelters, not to mention the countless tourists that came here expecting a nice vacation. They will have some stories to tell when they get back home! 

Meanwhile, fire-watching has become somewhat of a spectator sport among the locals. People are gathered at various high spots in town, cameras in hand, trying to get pictures of the out-of-control blaze that threatens our city. The photo above was taken at the Garden of the Gods overlook on Mesa (the same spot where I took the photo for yesterday's post). There were dozens of curious people there, in the parking lot and along the road. Not only has this fire been unsettling and frightening, it's been more than a little fascinating for those of us who live here.