Valley Voices
During May, communities across the West take a pause and engage in preparations for the upcoming wildfire season in recognition of Wildfire Awareness Month.
Paul Cada
Wildfires in Colorado and throughout the Western U.S. continue to be larger, burn longer and are harder to control. A combination of factors, including heavy accumulations of fuel, dryer and warmer weather, and more human activities in nature, have primed our forests, shrublands and communities to burn. It is incumbent upon everyone governments, businesses and citizens to prepare for wildfire.
For the next five weeks, the town of Vail and Vail Fire are embarking on a community preparedness campaign to help everyone become “wildfire ready.” We challenge all community members to take five simple actions that will make a huge impact during a wildfire event.
As of 3:45 p.m. on Sunday, crews have a structure fire in Sunridge Apartment’s under control and are ensuring there are no more hot spots in the roof or walls, according to Eagle River Fire…
Crews from Vail Fire and Emergency Services will be conducting prescribed fire operations in late March or early April as conditions allow. The prescribed fire will take place in the Katsos Ranch area of East Vail on approximately 20 acres of town of Vail land and 1 acre, pending approval, of Colorado Department of Transportation right of way.
This project will involve the burning of grasses and scattered brush to improve winter range for the East Vail bighorn sheep herd. The project will additionally reduce wildfire fuels adjacent to the community. Approximately 20 acres of grass on town property above the Booth Creek berm and to the north of the Booth Falls neighborhood will be burned to stimulate new growth and improve forage, plus 1 acre of grass adjacent to the North Frontage Road.
On behalf of the Sandstone 70 community, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Vail Fire Department. Awakened in the wee hours Sunday morning by a raging inferno next door, I was terrified! Within minutes the fire department arrived and the flames were rapidly extinguished.
Through the firemen’s valiant efforts, the fire was contained to one unit of a four-unit building, and it did not spread to the closest building located a dozen yards away. The firemen remained the entire night to make sure no embers were left behind. As the Vail Daily noted, it could have been a lot worse! The quick work of the Vail Fire Department prevented it from being so.
Eagle River Fire Protection District/Special to the Daily
At about 1 p.m. on Thursday, Eagle River Fire Protection District crews were dispatched to a report of smoke from a structure in a large single family residence on Spring Creek Place in the Cordillera Valley Club area of Edwards.
Due to the complexity of the fire’s location, it took several hours of thermal heat tracing and overhaul operations before crews were confident in calling the fire out Thursday afternoon.The property was unoccupied, and no injuries were reported. The cause is still under investigation.
A person passing by reported smoke but no flames coming from the eaves of the structure, according to the ERFPD. Firefighters from Engine 12 reported seeing smoke from U.S. Highway 6 as they responded, and once on scene, they immediately accessed the roof to begin an offensive attack near a chimney. The roof was opened up, and a deep-seated fire was traced back to an adjacent chimney, with the fire reaching to the