Colorado Springs is burning... again

 

Photo taken from Flying W Ranch Road in Mountain Shadows in west Colorado Springs. By Victoria Young.

 

 

 Photo taken from 8th Street in Colorado Springs. By Lee Bowers.

 

 

By Bernadette Hair

 

 

El Paso County Sheriff's Deputy Dan Cukowski helps evacuee Linda Davies walk her livestock out from the evacuated area during the Black Forest Fire on Tuesday, June 11, 2013. (Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette)

 

 

Most of the time I pre-blog my posts -- that is, I sit down when I have time and write up several days' worth of blog posts, then schedule them to go "live" one after the other. This way I don't fall too behind on the blog, and it's especially helpful during wedding and portrait season when I'm swamped.

This is why today's post just featured a pretty picture of the Garden of the Gods. I actually blogged it days ago.  But the current situation in Colorado Springs is actually not very pretty at all, so now I'm making another, real time post. Yesterday, a fire broke out in a wooded part of town called Black Forest, and because of very dry and windy conditions, 80 to 100 homes have been lost in the last 24 hours. The evacuation zone is expanding. So far I can count one friend who's lost her home; without doubt there are more, but it's too soon to tell.

Many of the people in this part of town have horses and other livestock.  This afternoon is equally dry, and windier than yesterday.  Please send your healing thoughts and prayers to the people of Colorado Springs today. We are going through an exact repeat of what happened last June with the Waldo Canyon fire. It's unthinkable.

If you're interested, our local paper, the Gazette, is making continuous updates here:  http://gazette.com/live-updates-sheriff-terry-maketa-says-80-to-100-homes-burned-fears-fatalities-in-the-black-forest-fire-north-of-colorado-springs/article/1502210  Aerial photos of the blaze can be found here:  http://photos.denverpost.com/2013/06/12/photos-aerial-photos-of-the-black-forest-fire/#4