Wildfires outside of Denver...

[opnwide]

Not sure if anyone saw the devastation Northwest of Denver today, but my son is a senior in high school at Monarch most affected by the fires, and knows several friends that have lost everything. These kids have endured so much with Covid, stolen youth, and now the loss of their homes. Not sure why I would turn to some stupid automotive forum to vent my feelings of loss, but I’ve met some really cool folks on here, so I just needed to release steam, and hopefully Colorado will endure. Come visit our state in your Rivians and drop a couple bucks at a coffee shop or restaurant in Superior or Louisville on your way to the mountains—it will help to rebuild.

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[SeaGeo]

I'm sitting here trying to how the f*** there are uncontrolled fires near Denver at the end of December...

That's a rhetorical question, but it adds on to my millenial pissyness about the state of things. I feel for you and your son. From having started the classroom shooter drills in elementary school paired with covering the windows to our hallways suddenly, to the general lack of progress on.... anything significant since then it definitely makes my wife and I question having kids. We aren't particularly eager to leave someone with a steaming pile of shit.

 

[DuckTruck]

I'm sitting here trying to how the f*** there are uncontrolled fires near Denver at the end of December...

That's a rhetorical question, but it adds on to my millenial pissyness about the state of things. I feel for you and your son. From having started the classroom shooter drills in elementary school paired with covering the windows to our hallways suddenly, to the general lack of progress on.... anything significant since then it definitely makes my wife and I question having kids. We aren't particularly eager to leave someone with a steaming pile of shit.

Amen to all of that, from a Baby Boomer who has friends in formerly "safe" locations that lost it all because of firestorms 18 months ago.

 

[DuckTruck]

Not sure if anyone saw the devastation Northwest of Denver today, but my son is a senior in high school at Monarch most affected by the fires, and knows several friends that have lost everything. These kids have endured so much with Covid, stolen youth, and now the loss of their homes. Not sure why I would turn to some stupid automotive forum to vent my feelings of loss, but I’ve met some really cool folks on here, so I just needed to release steam, and hopefully Colorado will endure. Come visit our state in your Rivians and drop a couple bucks at a coffee shop or restaurant in Superior or Louisville on your way to the mountains—it will help to rebuild.

opnwide,

You're not out of place in my book by posting news of this tragedy here. I can't imagine what you're all going through. Nobody can ever be fully ready for wildfires with 100+ mph winds, but certainly not there at this time of year. It's mind-boggling!

I hope you and yours are safe, as well as your son's friends, classmates, and all of their family members. Know that we're thinking of, and praying for all of you.

Take care.

 

[Ladiver]

I read about the fires today and my heart goes out to everyone who is affected. I live in a high fire area and have been evacuated multiple times. It is not fun and will leave lasting effects. I hope the losses are limited to material possessions and that loss of life is minimal.

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

My brother lives in the Boulder area and had to evacuate last night.

Hope you and your family are safe with minimal impact.

 

[buddha2lotus]

Not sure if anyone saw the devastation Northwest of Denver today, but my son is a senior in high school at Monarch most affected by the fires, and knows several friends that have lost everything. These kids have endured so much with Covid, stolen youth, and now the loss of their homes. Not sure why I would turn to some stupid automotive forum to vent my feelings of loss, but I’ve met some really cool folks on here, so I just needed to release steam, and hopefully Colorado will endure. Come visit our state in your Rivians and drop a couple bucks at a coffee shop or restaurant in Superior or Louisville on your way to the mountains—it will help to rebuild.

In this day and age and desperate times, we should seek support in any way and anywhere we can. This thread just shows that even an automotive forum can provide some some tangible human connection purpose other than just talking about a man made contraption. Though it is not much, here is wishing you and others affected in CO much calmer weather to come, hope and healing.

 

[Sgt Beavis]

I’m in Erie, just north of the affected area. Yesterday was surreal. The fires are almost out this morning. A lot of hot spots but the winds have died down and it’s not spreading. We’re expecting snow this afternoon. That should put out what’s left.

 

[Swilly]

Before I use the forum to vent similarly, do y’all need anything? How can a local help your community best? I’m in Littleton and we had our own small scare earlier in the week. SeaGeo’s thoughts are spot on. Was adventuring with the kids and another family in Waterton Canyon just last week and was telling the dad that I love Colorado and can’t see myself anywhere else. But when we spend summer months indoors due to the smoke and now we have 5 months without precip. and weak snow pack, at what point do we need to find somewhere else? Then this week hits with Littleton fire, Denver shootings, and then devastating Boulder county fires, and it feels like it’s coming sooner than I am ready for. Rough end to 2021 for Colorado.

 

[Sgt Beavis]

Before I use the forum to vent similarly, do y’all need anything? How can a local help your community best? I’m in Littleton and we had our own small scare earlier in the week. SeaGeo’s thoughts are spot on. Was adventuring with the kids and another family in Waterton Canyon just last week and was telling the dad that I love Colorado and can’t see myself anywhere else. But when we spend summer months indoors due to the smoke and now we have 5 months without precip. and weak snow pack, at what point do we need to find somewhere else? Then this week hits with Littleton fire, Denver shootings, and then devastating Boulder county fires, and it feels like it’s coming sooner than I am ready for. Rough end to 2021 for Colorado.

Honestly, I think relocating is just trading one set of problems for another. We moved here from Texas. We had to regularly seek cover from tornados, heavy softball sized hail (or larger), water issues, etc. We primarily moved to Colorado because of the services we could get for our Autistic son. Those services don’t exist in Texas.

I think Colorado is going to have to take a long look at infrastructure improvements to prevent and combat situations like this. Buried power lines or upgraded power poles that can handle 150mph winds. Greatly expanded fire depts. etc. etc. Climate change symptoms are not going to go away, so we had better prepare.

 

[Longhorngirl]

When I first saw this story last night, I was befuddled. Wildfires in Boulder/Denver area in December? Strange. I went searching the internet and discovered that, indeed, this was another example of climate change due to extreme drought in the Denver area.

Millions of people have been impacted by climate change this year. I am sure there are many people in this forum who have been impacted. I am one of them. So no, it isn’t silly for you to vent here. I understand. And I am sorry for you, for us, for the animals, and for the planet.

As we close out the year, here is a look back at some of the most extreme weather events across the world. I hope in 2022, leaders across the world can come together to make meaning policy changes to address climate change.

https://www.theweek.co.uk/news/environment/953574/worlds-most-extreme-weather-events-2021

On a positive note, my pups had fun in the snow left by winter storm URI.

 

[Sgt Beavis]

If anyone here is willing to lend a hand, there is a fund raiser for a charity that is directly assisting families impacted by the fires. Fortunately, with this being the 1st of the year, my company has refreshed their charitable matching funds. I maxed it out very quickly.

https://www.coloradogives.org/WordofThanksFireFund?step=step1.

 

[opnwide]

If anyone here is willing to lend a hand, there is a fund raiser for a charity that is directly assisting families impacted by the fires. Fortunately, with this being the 1st of the year, my company has refreshed their charitable matching funds. I maxed it out very quickly.

https://www.coloradogives.org/WordofThanksFireFund?step=step1.

Yes that is a great donation link. New hotel on hwy 36 to Boulder gone, Tesla “dealership” melted on the south side, and my son has so many friends in this area without a home. 1000 homes wiped in a suburban area. Hard to compute.

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