HELL

On Sunday past, we drove south from Denver on I-25 and noticed a smoke plume in the sky billowing up from behind the Manitou Springs and Garden of the Gods   communities of Colorado Springs.  At that point, it looked fairly benign.  Even the electronic bulletin screens on the freeway dismissed the fires as "under control." But in the last five days, non-stop high winds and high temperatues fueled this stubborn blaze to what Colorado Springs Fire Chief Rich Brown said, "is a fire of epic proportions." 

The above picture of this out of control firestorm was taken yesterday afternoon from I-25 as we headed home and returned north to Denver. The sky was so full of smoke and ash that the majestic towering Rockies were invisible.  The drop dead gorgeous city of Colorado Springs, Colorado's second largest city, was canopied under a grey cloud of low hanging noxious smoke and ash.  Smelled like death. The sun's brilliance was overwhelmed by the thickness of fire and smoke clouds.

As we sped by this image of hell with instructions not to stop, our thoughts and prayers turned to those 1200 brave men and women fighting this ornery fire on the ground and from the air.  What an incredibly huge and dangerous opponent to face and facing it they did in the worst of all conditions: dry fuel, high winds, high heat and mountainous terrain. 

Also, we thought of all those victims and families who have been effected by the fire.  Presently, 35,000 people have been evacuated from their homes, 350 homes destroyed, 19,000 acres torched, while the fire is moving relentlessly towards the Air Force Academy to the north and it is only 10% contained. 

They need a miracle in Colorado Springs to stop this raging firestorm. 

Also, fires rage all over the state (about 200,000 acres) and in the neighboring states and it's only the first week of summer.  This summer may prove to be the worst ever fire season on record in the Rocky Mountains.

So, please pray for those in harm's way and for containment and a major weather break of what many are calling the worst fire in Colorado history. 

To date, there is no known cause for this destructive blaze.