The Waldo Canyon Wild Fire
in
Colorado Springs
Started on June 23rd, 2012
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Photo by Steve Moraco.
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Photo by Steve Moraco.
video of the Waldo Canyon Wild Fire
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Go to Steve Moraco Photography on Facebook.
Clearly this talented teen is going to be famous someday!
I'm already a big fan of his work...
The Fire Storm...
Tuesday, June 26th, 2012
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It all started with a large plume of smoke which started on the horizon.
Sue's brother who was pet sitting while Sue and Nancy were on vacation
went to the house to move the dogs to safety...
Thank God...
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It Was The Perfect Storm...
A dry thunderstorm with virga caused a microburst.
The wind picked up to 65 mph out of the west
and began blowing hot embers
into the subdivisions on the west side of Colorado Springs.
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Photo by Chris Rains via 9 News.
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In one night 340+ houses burned,
many houses were spared,
thanks to the heroic work of fire fighters
whose bravery in the conditions shown above
can never be doubted....
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xPhoto by Chris Rains via 9 News.
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xPhoto by Chris Rains via 9 News.
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Photo by Chris Rains via 9 News.
In the end..
The fire storm burned down 340+ homes in one night.
There were 2 fatalities and 36,000 people evacuated.
Sadly, Sue and Nancy lost their home.
All it's contents and vehicles.
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The following are the pictures of the aftermath.
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Officials allowed the Residents
to return to their homes for several hours
on July 1st,2012.
They all began to pick up the pieces of their lives.
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Pictured above, what used to be the front of Sue and Nancys home.
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The Back Yard.
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Sue and Nancy's 5000 square foot home was
reduced to 2 feet of ash, rubble and melted steel in the
basement foundation.
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The Fire Fighters who are still on scene said the fire burned at 2000 degrees.
Despite picking through the rubble for 8+ hours very little was recovered.
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AA locksmith was called out to open the safe...
(shown below)
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With the dial combination melted completely off the front.
It took nearly 3 hours for the locksmith to open it,
only to reveal the contents which were mostly
spared but chard none the less, in the high temperture of the fire.
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Picking through the rubble, they managed to find the urn
that contained the ashes of Sue's Poodle...Bridgett,
who she had for 17 years..
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But Luthers ashes, pictures of all the Majestik Mastiffs,
copies of the dogs testing are all gone.
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Luckily, Maddie, Sues Malinois and the 2 Yorkies
were out of harms way thanks to Sue's brothers' fast thinking.
A friend also saved Sues Parrot, Sunny, who she's had for 26 years...
*Sue here are a few pictures that I have of your dogs.*
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Sue and Nancy's vehicles
were also burned while parked in the garage and driveway...
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The fire left nothing but the surrounding trees...
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Sues brothers Jeep burned on the driveway...
He had left his Jeep behind to use Sue's van to transport the dogs...
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July 3rd, 2012
I brought down some x-pens and crates to make
life a little easier at the temporary housing.
It was good to see Maddie again!
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She sat on my feet to make sure I couldn't get away...
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It was great to share dinner with good friends and see them smile.
Despite the horrors of this past week!