Wildfire Relief in Colorado Springs

In case you are reading this outside of the US, the western half of the states are experiencing high temperature, drought conditions that are partially responsible for starting dozens of significant and dangerous wildfires in the last week or two.

I initially read that The Colorado Springs’ fire was started by a lightning strike but now they aren’t sure.  A few years ago, I was at a home located on Highway 24 in or very near Waldo Canyon for a dinner party when suddenly a little thunderstorm rolled in.  I happen to be in the faction that enjoys a good storm.  I suppose it’s the electricity in the air and the fact that nothing bad has ever happened to me.  I’d probably feel different otherwise.

Anyway, this storm was producing some consistent lightning.  So much so that I didn’t need a lightning trigger and what luck – I happened to have my tripod with me.  So I sneaked away from the table, set up the tripod and clicked away.

It is pretty easy to see how wildfires start with lightning strikes like this.  There were a lot with this storm and I can imagine that there are hundreds or thousands of strikes per typical summer season.

Another area in the evacuation path is the U.S. Air Force Academy campus.  The Chapel, part of the Academy campus, is a fabulous structure and it would be devastating to lose it.  The Air Force Academy has its own fire department trained to handle forest fires, so I hope all is well in the end.  As of this morning, it looks like it will be ok.

Currently, hundreds of people have lost their homes and it will likely take the community years to recover and heal.  Yet, there remains many things to be thankful for.  Thousands of fire fighters who helped save homes and animals, the swift evacuation leading to very little loss of human life.  And in the American way or perhaps community spirit way, people will pull together to help one another.  They always do.  And that is something to be thankful for.