Wildfires

Mishawaka Amphitheatre set to unveil monument to High Park firefighting efforts

Last summer, the High Park fire raged through the Poudre Canyon in Northern Colorado. Although it's been nearly a year since the fire was contained, it's still very fresh in the minds of the community, especially the folks at the Mishawaka Amphitheatre. Despite the fact that the fire ravaged much of ... More >>

Death of Self grinds at Blast-O-Mat on Monday, July 30

Photos, videos: Waldo Canyon fire finally 100 percent contained

Update: At long last comes the announcement residents of Colorado Springs have been awaiting since June 23, when the Waldo Canyon fire flared to life. The blaze, which destroyed 346 homes and took the lives of Barbara and William Everett, age 73 and 74, respectively, is finally 100 percent containe ... More >>

Diana DeGette's push for temporary-firefighter insurance gains a big ally: The President

Wildfire season -- which has included several massive Colorado blazes already this year -- puts thousands of seasonal firefighters to work. But because many have temporary status, they aren't eligible for federal health insurance -- a concern Representative Diana DeGette hoped to address in a new bi ... More >>

Fourmile Canyon fire victim finally has new house

Three Denver blog posts to see you through to Monday. Now that wildfires in Colorado are dying down, those who lost their homes can see how a Fourmile Canyon fire (Labor Day 2010) victim is nearing completion of her new home. After dropping three of four by the St. Louis Cardinals, the Rockies hea ... More >>

Hot! Colorado firefighters pose for calendar after smoke clears

Slide show: 2013 Colorado firefighter photo shoot

High Park fire update: Mishawaka Amphitheatre reopening symbol of blaze's defeat

Update: The High Park fire near Fort Collins is 100 percent contained, and while it's not officially dead yet, the blaze is no longer the threat it was to life, limb and property. A symbol of its de facto defeat? The reopening tomorrow of the Mishawaka Amphitheatre, a beloved landmark that managed ... More >>

Wildfire victim benefits include IKEA discount, yoga classes

Colorado's urge to do something, anything, to help those affected by the wildfires has spread like, well, wildfire. Caravans of cars have descended on Colorado Springs, heading right past that IKEA sign on I-25, with piles of donated goods for victims of the Waldo Canyon fire. If the state were fi ... More >>

Minor Disturbance slams off with Albuquerque Youth Slam Team to benefit wildfire relief

With fires raging across Colorado, many artists are putting their talents by holding fundraisers or using events to simply send good vibes to those affected by the fires. Tonight Denver's youth slam team, Minor Disturbance, a 2012 MasterMind winner, will use what it's got to bring awareness (and rai ... More >>

Flagstaff fire update: Stuck at 90 percent contained, some open space areas still closed

Update: The Boulder Office of Emergency Management was so confident the Flagstaff fire outside of town was a thing of the past that a so-called "final update" was posted on Saturday afternoon. But despite predictions of 100 percent containment before the weekend was done, Flagstaff (the lesser of th ... More >>

John Hickenlooper: Winter Olympics 2022 bid could bring Colorado together

Bringing the 2022 Winter Olympics to Denver has the potential to bring people together in a way that nothing else can, Governor John Hickenlooper said today, expressing serious interest in a possible bid. The governor chatted with Westword this morning about what the Olympics could mean for Colora ... More >>

High Park fire update: 85 percent containment, many subdivisions reopened

Update: As those living near the Waldo Canyon fire outside Colorado Springs were plunged into terror (347 homes confirmed burned, at least one death), the people who've been suffering through the High Park fire fifteen miles from Fort Collins for three long, exhausting weeks may finally be getting a ... More >>

Waldo Canyon fire update: One death, 347 homes destroyed, 20K threatened

Update:Firefighters made progress against the Waldo Canyon fire near Colorado Springs yesterday -- enough to get a better sense of the destruction that took place the previous day. The number of homes destroyed had been estimated at north of 300, and that proved all too accurate. Thus far, 347 homes ... More >>

Flagstaff fire in Boulder update: 100 percent containment by the weekend?

Update: Given the horrors inflicting on the residents of Colorado Springs by the Waldo Canyon fire, and those living in and around Fort Collins by the High Park fire, Boulderites should be counting their blessings. The Flagstaff fire near the town limits, which seemed so threatening just a few days ... More >>

Photos: Most beautiful Instagram shots of terrible Colorado wildfires

Colorado may never have seen a wildfire season like this one. With the High Park fire near Fort Collins, the Waldo Canyon fire outside of Colorado Springs and Boulder's Flagstaff fire burning, it's only natural that Instagram photographers would turn their attentions toward the flames, creating imag ... More >>

Terrorists setting wildfires? Rumors heating up with Obama's visit

This has been one hot summer -- and it's bound to get even hotter. Tempers are flaring over the handling of the wildfires, and rumors are heating up over their possible cause: terrorists are setting the fires. And President Barack Obama's visit to the Waldo Canyon fire today is fanning the conspirac ... More >>

Fire fundraisers: Where to listen to music and support High Park and Waldo Canyon efforts

As firefighters continue to tackle the wildfires ravaging large portions of the state, local communities are searching for ways to provide aid, even from hours away. In Denver, a handful of local live music venues and companies have already stepped up to launch shows to benefit fire relief efforts - ... More >>

Photos: The people of the Waldo Canyon fire

"We will rebuild Majestic Drive." These are the words of Terry Rector, a Colorado Springs lawyer who gathered with a number of others who also lived on Majestic (map here), before the area was devastated by the Waldo Canyon fire. Yesterday, photographer Brandon Marshall spent the day in the Spring ... More >>

Colorado tourism hopes go up in smoke

A week ago, the state's tourism office announced that 2011 had been a record-breaking year. And 2012 will break all kinds of records, too -- but not the ones boosters like to shatter. Most disappointing ski season. Rafting industry drying up. And the rest of the summer tourism season going up in smo ... More >>

Climate change contributes to wildfires, makes them hard to fight, scientists say

Leading climate-change scientists say the chances of humans stopping the wildfires raging across Colorado aren't good. "These wildfires, when they become wind-driven, are like a nuclear bomb going off, and humans are not going to stop them any more than they stopped the hurricanes in Gulf Coast," ... More >>

Denver Doom Fest II this October at 3 Kings

The Denver Doom Fest, which took place last December at the Larimer Lounge, has expanded to two days this year and will take place on Friday, October 5 and Saturday, October 6 at 3 Kings Tavern. While the lineup features some returning acts from last year, such as Royal Talons, the Flight of Sleipni ... More >>

Lower North Fork Fire started by prescribed burn, Forest Service apologizes

The U.S. Forest Service is now admitting that the Lower North Fork Fire near Conifer, which appears to have led to at least two casualties (one woman is still missing), was started by a prescribed burn that got out of control. Meanwhile, Governor John Hickenlooper has suspended such burns until aft ... More >>

Fire bans in Boulder and Golden as Lower North Fork Fire blazes out of control

The Lower North Fork Fire has already resulted in two fatalities and remains uncontained at this writing -- and the conditions that have fueled it are clearly not lost on officials in other communities. Below, see information about newly announced fire bans in Boulder and Golden, as well as a releas ... More >>

Clinging to the Trees of a Forest Fire

Visceral
Prosthetic Records

Crystal fire in Larimer Cty.: 95% contained, 13 homes burned, but what was cause? (VIDEOS)

Videos below.​Update: Finally, the Crystal fire in Larimer County is just about spent. According to the most recent feds' latest report, the containment level is at 95 percent, with some crews moving on and those that remain concentrating on mop-up. More good news: the number of homes destroy ... More >>

Model rocket allegedly starts Boulder County grass fire, and that's not only burn ban violation

Flickr​The precipitation falling at this writing should put a punctuation mark on the Indian Gulch and Burning Tree fires -- but the moisture isn't enough to end the dry conditions that have prompted multiple local fire bans. Not that everyone's paying attention, judging by not one, not two, b ... More >>

Indian Gulch fire near Golden: Burned acreage increases to 1,502 (VIDEOS)

​Update: The Indian Gulch fire near Golden is a top wildfire priority nationally; at this writing, it's in the number one slot on the feds' Inciweb.org website. And while the winds that were helping to fuel the blaze have died down to a significant degree, they did significant damage, increas ... More >>

Lefthand Canyon fire's 622 acres are 80 percent contained, human-caused (VIDEOS)

Videos below.​Given how wet our Marches tend to be, we don't expect conditions dry enough to create fire danger -- but there's concern aplenty in Lefthand Canyon, where a blaze has consumed approximately 622 acres and caused evacuations of 223 homes. At this point, with the flames 80 percent c ... More >>

Boys play with lighters and face arson charges, parents feel burned

Boulder Peewink Mountain fire already contained

9News​The inclusion of the photo at right in a 9News story about a blaze that broke out overnight near Boulder raised concerns of another runaway conflagration like last year's Fourmile Canyon fire. But no: This one consumed just an acre or so before being contained. Before this status was ac ... More >>

Dome wildfire: Update about evacuation order, progress in fighting Boulder blaze (PHOTOS)

Photo by Boyd FletcherDome fire near Boulder.​Update: City of Boulder officials have announced that the evacuation order for many residents put in place due to the Dome fire will be lifted at 10 a.m. today -- a very good sign.

Boulder Fourmile Canyon fire cost: $9,439,583 and still counting thanks to continuing ops

​The Fourmile Canyon Fire near Boulder remains 100 percent contained, avoiding the potential flareups about which spokesman Greg Heule warned in yesterday's update, linked above. But while the work continues to wind down, the costs keep ticking upward. Latest estimate: $9,439,583 -- and still ... More >>

Fire bans announced (a little late) in Boulder, Larimer County -- and JeffCo and Golden, too

​It took the Fourmile Canyon fire and the Reservoir Road fire to convince Boulder County and Larimer County to put fire bans in place; click here to read about the former, here to learn about the latter. Kudos, then, to Jefferson County and Golden, which have prohibited burning prior to blazes ... More >>

Boulder Fourmile Canyon fire update: Will deadly California blaze cut into resources?

From SF ABC7San Bruno blaze.​Last night, the high winds that hit the Fourmile Canyon fire burn area near Boulder didn't exacerbate the situation as feared. As Boulder County public information officer Mike Banuelos says this morning, "Firefighters held the line." But will some of them be sent ... More >>

Boulder Fourmile Canyon fire containment date estimated as September 13, evacuee's car looted

​The news from the Fourmile Canyon fire near Boulder keeps coming fast and furious. Authorities now predict that full containment won't be achieved until Monday, September 13 -- and there's also word that some scumbag stole about $1,500 worth of stuff from an evacuee's car. Details below:

Boulder Fourmile Canyon fire update: Residents allowed back to homes ordered out again

​When Boulder officials said people allowed back into their homes on the eastern edge of the Fourmile Canyon fire evacuation area should be prepared to leave again if conditions shift weren't kidding. Residents of several subdivisions, who were granted access to their homes at 10 a.m. today, a ... More >>

Boulder food trucks and retailers organize a benefit for Fourmile Canyon fire victims

​As the Boulder community continues to rally around the displaced victims of the raging wildfire, retailers and mobile restaurateurs are organizing a benefit to raise money and gather donations. Tomorrow night, StrEat Chefs and Comida will roll into the parking lot at Common Threads, 2707 Spr ... More >>

Epilogues premiere "Hunting Season" video tommorow night at Summit Music Hall

So the Epilogues have finished work on its new "Hunting Season" video, which was filmed on location this past spring in the woods at the site of the infamous Hayman forest fire of 2002. To celebrate the premiere of the Dillon Novak directed video, the outfit has put together one hell of a bill at ... More >>

ALO

Tuesday, June 5, Boulder Theater, Boulder, 303-786-7030.

Fear Before the March of Flames

The Always Open Mouth (Equal Vision)

Best New Slogan for CU Buffs

"Excitements to Match Our Indictments"

Pop Quiz

Slurry With the Singe on Top
July 24, 2003

Best New Slogan for Denver

"Denver: We Love It!... Most of the Time"

Consumed by Fire

On the front lines of the Hayman blaze.