Weather, which has hampered firefighters battling a wildfire in Rocky Mountain National Park, seemed to turn into an ally Monday as cooler temperatures and lighter winds settled over the fire.
While a private cabin in Moraine Park within the park boundaries was lost to the Fern Lake Fire, officials said high winds Sunday and into Monday did not push the fire any closer to the park's eastern gateway town of Estes Park, Colorado.
Roughly 150 firefighters and 18 engines stayed on the fire through the night, and as dawn arrived the total was expected to grow by 100 personnel with more resources en route to the park.
Spot fires continue to burn in the Steep Mountain area through the night and crews were working to keep it from moving further to the south. Structure protection crews were still stationed along Bear Lake Road to try to keep the fire within the park.
Monday's weather forecast called for temperatures in the mid-30s to low 40s and lighter winds, with calm winds expected after sundown.
The fire was mapped at approximately 4,400 acres, with roughly 20 percent of the footprint contained, officials said.
The priorities of fire managers continued to be firefighter and public safety, incident stabilization, and control of the fire perimeter to keep it from spreading beyond the park boundaries so residents may be allowed to re-enter when it is safe for them to do so. Smoke from the fire has been impacting the area, especially during the evening hours.
The east side of Rocky Mountain National Park via Beaver Meadows Entrance and Fall River Entrance is closed, although Fall River Visitor Center remains open.
Residents should be aware that pre-evacuation and evacuation notices could be expanded. No changes in evacuation or pre-evacuation orders had been made since Saturday. Park officials said Monday morning that only individuals with a medical necessity were being allowed to re-enter the evacuation area of the Highway 66 corridor with an escort from the sheriff's office. The Highway 66 corridor, including all adjacent streets, remains closed. Electrical power was reportedly still on in the area.
Residents of Marys Lake Road from Moraine Avenue and Rock Ridge Road south to Highway 7 and Fish Creek Road were to in pre-evacuation status. Pre-evacuation means that residents should be ready to leave if they receive an evacuation notice.
Residents of High Drive and adjacent streets are also on pre-evacuation notice. The residents in this area must present identification to law enforcement at the High Drive road block. No others will be allowed in the area.
The evacuation center is located at the Mountain View Bible Fellowship, located at 1575 South Saint Vrain Ave./Highway 7, at the corner of Peak View Drive. The cooperating agencies, the Red Cross and the Salvation Army are staffing this evacuation center. Information is provided to evacuees on site. Large animals may be taken to the Stanley Park Fairgrounds at 1209 Manford Ave.
Comments
Take another look at the stories linked above. Tidwell (and the scientists) are talking about both, which would seem to be most relevant.
You're gesturing toward another myth. First, temperatures haven't been flat. Second, what's important is heat, not temperature, anyway (this is what I mean about basic scientific literacy). Check the site I linked to above. Again, it debunks this myth (#9 on the list) by linking to the published science (and it provides a tutorial for the uninitiated).
First, temperatures haven't been flat.
They haven't? Tell that to the scientists. Your myth #9 is a strawman based on info 7 years old. Try this current info:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1335798/Global-warming-ha...
If we aren't careful, PETA will get on our case for beating this horse to death :-)
I don't know what you mean. You're repeating the myth here. Are you saying that the myth you are repeating hasn't been updated in 7 years? Are you saying that the science is 7 years old? (Which clearly isn't the case, since the site talks about 2010, etc. and links to science through 2012.)
In any case, I'm following Jim's observation. If we're not beating a dead horse, we're certainly pumping out a lot of hot air. Thanks for the conversation, FF.
Jim,
Sorry we are boring you with a very pertinent discussion regarding wildfires. The evidence (vs predictions) seems to point strongly to bad forest management - an indictment I suspect you want to avoid. Could a (natural) warmer climate be a contributor - possibly. Is man induced warming THE cause (as implied by your comrade Lee) - not according to any credible evidence.
Okay, one more.
Here's a list of some of the organizations that have reached that conclusion (by year)--on the basis of no credible evidence! (This is where my suspicion of trolling kicks in, FF.)
2001 IPCC
2001 Royal Society of New Zealand
2001 National Research Council (U.S.)
2004 International Arctic Science Committee
2005 Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences
2005 National Academies of G8 Nations
2005 European Geosciences Union
2006 Geological Society of America
2006 World Meterological Oranization
2006 American Association for the Adavcencement of Science
2006 Network of African Science Academies
2007 Polish Academy of Sciences
2007 InterAcademy Council
2007 European Academy of Sciences and Arts
2007 International Council of Acadmies of Engineering and technological Sciences
2007 American Geophysical Union
2007 International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics
2007 Royal Meterological Society (UK)
2008 European Federation of Geologists
2009 U.S. Global Change Research Program
2009 National Assoication of Geosciecne Teachers
2009 Canadian Meterological and Oceanographic Society
2009 American Institute of Professional Geologists
2010 Royal Society of the United Kingdom
2010 Geological Society of London
2011 American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America
2012 American Meterological Society
2012 Australian Meterological and Oceanographic Society
2012 Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences
You're getting characteristically incoherent here, FF. Take another look at my post and the specific claim you made that the list is in response to. (Are you really asking where an organization like the Geological Society of London is citing climate change as the cause of more wildfires? You do know what geologists study, right?)
Could you please refer me to where those organizations cite climate change as the cause of more wildfires? (our on topic discussion)
And assuming you are correct in your characterization. That is 33 orgs. How many of similar providence haven't come to that conclusion? 1,000? 10,000? 100,000?
Where is the Liechtenstein academy of Sciences on this?