Thoughts for Russ and family

[John E]

Just wanted to let everyone know that, due to the Waldo Canyon fire just up the mountainside, all of Manitou Springs (summer home of Russ - RSL) has been ordered to evacuate. I don't believe there's immediate danger to either Manitou or to most of Colorado Springs, but as they are having a hard time getting this baby under control (very hgh temperatures, very low humidity, and unpredictable winds as the day goes on), and as ash is falling all over the area, officials chose a wise course of evacuation. Please keep Russ, his family, and others affected by these western US fires in your thoughts. Thanks.

John

[Rob C]

I saw an announcement on the news this morning about the fires raging through Colorado and Utah, too, I think it said.

Indeed, all best wishes to Russ and all the other folks facing this horror.

Rob C

[RSL]

Thanks Rob and all. We evacuated this morning about 04:00, and we're staying in a son's house on the far side of Colorado Springs, along with another son's family and a grandson's family. It's quite a family gathering. We're safe, but it remains to be seen whether or not our house and my beautiful studio will survive.

Here's a shot I made from another son's deck yesterday afternoon.

I'll keep you posted.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Sorry to hear, Russ. Hope all will be well for you and the family.

[Jeremy Roussak]

Glad to hear you're safe, Russ. Property can always be (more or less) rebuilt, painful though the process might be.

Jeremy

[Tony Jay]

Nonetheless Russ here's hoping you are safe and snug back in your own home in a day or so.

Regards

Tony Jay

[jule]

Good you and your family are safe Russ. Prayers and thoughts to all those in imminent danger and to those who have loss.

Julie

[RSL]

Tonight they're lifting the evacuation order for those of us who live in Manitou Springs. Lots of other evacuations around the west side of Colorado Springs, though. A SW wind throughout the day created a natural back-burn. This evening the wind shifted back toward Manitou, but there's nothing left in front of the fire to burn. We'll go home in the morning.

Thanks to everyone for being concerned. (I was too. I'd hate to lose my studio.)

[wolfnowl]

Glad to hear it!

Mike.

[michswiss]

Good news for you, Russ.  My thoughts go out to those that lost property and other personal belongings.  I hope no one was injured in the fires.

[William Walker]

Glad to hear all seems to be OK. I only heard about this now.

William

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

Glad to hear all seems to be OK. I only heard about this now.

William

Me too. I've been away.
I'm glad you and family are all OK, Russ, and I hope the same will be true for your studio, and that you can get back to a more normal life soon.

Eric

[Riaan van Wyk]

Glad to hear all seems to be OK. I only heard about this now.

William

Same here.

[RSL]

We came home late this morning. Lots of smoke left behind, but the forecast is for SE winds today, which will blow the fire away from us. As of 08:00 this morning there haven't been any structures lost or people injured, but the fire's zero percent contained, and it's heading for other populated areas. It's expanding in three directions, all of which, for the moment, are away from Manitou Springs. The feds took control of the response this morning, and it looks as if tomorrow we'll have four Air Guard C130s rigged and able to add their huge slurry capacities to the two large tankers, five (I think) single-engine tankers, and four helicopters dumping slurry into lines designed to keep the fire away from inhabited areas. Federally it's become a priority one fire. As the guy in charge pointed out in a briefing at 08:00, it's going to be a tough day, with ambient temperatures at or over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, a moderate wind, and relative humidities in single digits.

Thanks, everybody, for your concern. We're safe for now, and my beautiful studio is still here.

[ErikKaffehr]

Nice to hear some good news!

Best regards
Erik

We came home late this morning. Lots of smoke left behind, but the forecast is for SE winds today, which will blow the fire away from us. As of 08:00 this morning there haven't been any structures lost or people injured, but the fire's zero percent contained, and it's heading for other populated areas. It's expanding in three directions, all of which, for the moment, are away from Manitou Springs. The feds took control of the response this morning, and it looks as if tomorrow we'll have four Air Guard C130s rigged and able to add their huge slurry capacities to the two large tankers, five (I think) single-engine tankers, and four helicopters dumping slurry into lines designed to keep the fire away from inhabited areas. Federally it's become a priority one fire. As the guy in charge pointed out in a briefing at 08:00, it's going to be a tough day, with ambient temperatures at or over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, a moderate wind, and relative humidities in single digits.

Thanks, everybody, for your concern. We're safe for now, and my beautiful studio is still here.

[RSL]

Forgot to add that the bright side of the situation was that I got to spend a day and a half around one of my great-granddaughters: one year old, full of it, and a joy to behold.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

That's a nice silver lining, Russ.

[seamus finn]

Thank God all is relatively ok.

[RSL]

The fire's now about 75% contained, and what's left is pretty far off in the wilderness. 346 homes were lost, and it's down as the most destructive fire in Colorado history. But yesterday I was able to walk through Garden of the Gods, and today at noon I walked the streets of Manitou Springs and shot some pictures. Manitou escaped the fire, but it's taking an economic hit. Usually 4th of July is the merchants' biggest day of the year. Not this year

Thanks everybody for your concern.