Camping Idiots

Wildfires everywhere!  As I look out my window, I see smoke rising from behind the foothills - Mount Sanitas, to be specific.  It's been in the sky since yesterday afternoon, when it was listed as a 100-acre fire.  Now it's over 600 acres in size, has burned down three homes, and has more than 2,000 families evacuated.  One of the three homes belonged to a first-responder.  Property, personal possessions, and wildlife are being destroyed because of two idiots who went camping.  They had a campfire burning for more than 48 hours, and when they left, they dumped a half-bucket of sand and rocks on top of the fire and left.  They were sure that the fire was totally extinguished, with that half-pound of sand and gravel.  It was not, and with the normal mountain breezes, the fire soon erupted and spread.  One would think that two "good-ole boys" from Alabama would have more sense; but they sure as heck didn't.  They were found at an evacuation center in Nederland.  They have been arrested.  Thanks to these guys, we have more heat, more pollution, the loss of habitat for many creatures, and multiple "Scenic Byways" are closed because of the fire.  It will take a long time for this area to become "scenic" again! This fire is still totally uncontained because of swirling mountain winds.
   Not only do we have the Cold Springs fire to the west of us, there's also the Beaver Creek fire in Routt County that is over 15,000 acres in size, and is growing.
   Over by Golden and Morrison, west-bound Interstate 70 (near C-470) was closed down due to fire, and the Rooney Valley Soccer Complex and a local hazardous materials plant were evacuated.
   Near Coaldale, the Hayden Path fire has caused a campground evacuation in Fremont County.
   Not to mention the fire inside a scrap metal yard in Denver....
 It reached 101 degrees (F) here this afternoon.  We are in a continuing drought situation.  The smoke and particles in the air do not help with my COPD.  I just about choked to death walking the six blocks to the grocery store this morning....
   Please be careful regarding fire danger anywhere in the world.  Be safe.  Don't be sorry.  - That is all. -

Avalanche, Falling Rocks, and Snow

Well, yesterday started dry, then we had rain; then rain and sleet; rain, sleet, and snow; sleet and snow; and, finally, big, soft wet flakes of snow fell for more than 12 hours.  Due to the previous warmth and the rain, the snow melted until noon before it started to accumulate.  We had about 3 inches settle in the back yard, and I fed the squirrels and birds a little extra, just because it was nasty out.  Cashew came and begged at the door after sunset, so I gave him a handful of almonds....

 There was an avalanche on Berthoud Pass yesterday that buried three cars - luckily all the people in the cars survived.  And over 600 tons of boulders and rocks fell on Route 65 in Grand Mesa, closing that road until CDOT can blast the rocks away, and repair the roadbed.  Some of the falling boulders created holes more than 2 feet deep in the road....

Due to snow in the high country, an 18-wheeler jack-knifed on I-70, and that highway is currently closed in both directions.  There is also a 10-car accident on highway 6, which has closed it down.

  And, just as an aside, Loveland Ski Resort is reporting that, since the beginning of the ski/snow season, they have had 335 inches of snowfall - that's 27 feet and 11 inches so far.  (And March is usually our second-snowiest month!)