Lake Christine Fire continued

 

July 10

Okay this is going to be a long update.  It ain't over till it's over. Here's the executive summary: After El Jebel was saved by extraordinary firefighters the monster moved up Basalt Mountain and set it on fire. The monster kept eating beetle kill through old growth forest and wildlife habitat, exploding pinions and turning them into rockets which shot across the mountain making spot fires on both the East and West steeps which fueled it's march towards the North and Gypsum.  As I write this extraordinary efforts from an army of firefighters, first responders, helicopter pilots, water truck drivers, and all manner of support teams have reached 87% containment.  It's almost impossible to imagine how rough the terrain is where this battle rages.... but here is the view from where I am... 

July 10 and Basalt Mountain is smoking from spot fires.

There was the promise of rain on July 11

 

...but nothing up on the Heights... this was my view driving back to the ranch...

 

July 12

Having missed the "parade" for the firefighters I made a little sign.

You can see Basalt Mountain smoking in the background.

 

Because a sign has two sides....

Helicopters were flying over head 

The mountain was still smoking

 

...and the heli crews were working....

 

... and the view at night left no doubt..

 

July 13

... and the mornings began to fill with smoke...

 

making for spectacular sunsets

and ominous sunrises 

 

July 18 brought wind

 

The Pyrocumulous grew

 

and grew

 

July 18

 

July 19

 It ain't over till it's over

 

Midnight July 20-21 it was time to bug out again.

July 21

Coming home from Denver on I70 the smoke from Lake Christine turned the sky orange 

 

July 22!!!

RAIN!!!!

Look closely 00.07"

 

Report for July 23... the monster is still growing...

 

in the afternoon two more RAIN events

bringing another 00.13" 

 

July 27

more smoke and moving north on the East side of Basalt Mountain

 

The big kids move in next door....

 

July 28

 

Total for Saturday 00.18"

Woohoo!!!!!

 

and with the rain and the helicopters the result today is:

 

87% containment

WOW

The evacuation orders have been lifted 

I still have helicopters overhead. 

link to the first blog post on the Lake Christine Fire