April 2 began with dry, windy weather and red flag warnings for high fire danger, just like many other days this year. Unlike those other days, April 2 ended with hundreds of Falcon residents evacuating as firefighters from multiple agencies battled a wind-driven fire that threatened their homes.The fire started small, likely from a lit cigarette discarded along the highway, according to the Colorado Springs Fire Department; CSFD investigators examined the situation to determine the cause of the fire.At about 5:21 p.m., El Paso County dispatch records indicate multiple callers reporting at least two fires along U.S. Highway 24, just east of Constitution Avenue. Videos posted to Facebook showed motorists stopping along the highway determinedly trying to beat out the flames. Despite their efforts, high winds pushed the fire through dry grass and brush toward Meridian Road, prompting evacuation orders for about 280 Falcon households. By the time the fire was contained around 9 p.m., it had charred 386 acres as mapped by the Colorado†Division of Fire Prevention and Controlís Multi-Mission Aircraft the following day. No structures were lost and no injuries to firefighters or residents were reported.The Highway 24 fire occurred between the March 20 blaze that burned 242 acres from Woodmen Road through vacant land on the former Banning Lewis Ranch and the Mile Marker 117 fire in the Hanover area on April 17. The Hanover fire destroyed about 20 homes plus and burned 42,795 acres, according to an April 20 joint media release posted on the El Paso County Sheriffís Office website.These large-scale incidents highlight just how easily wildfires can start and how quickly they can spread, especially in tinder-dry conditions following an abnormally dry winter.A view from the front linesFor Falcon firefighters, the Highway 24 fire was their third fire of the day. When they arrived on scene, they encountered fast-moving flames, sometimes reaching 10 or 12 feet high, headed toward a rural residential area. Falcon Fire Department Lt. Travis Kuemmerle said the fire ìtook off quick.î Firefighter Ben Rackl added, ìOn windy days, the fires outpace the fire crews.îDriver/Operator Matt Gibbs said firefighting efforts depended on what was burning at any given time (grass, brush or trees) and the direction the fire was moving. Some terrain was impassable by vehicle, forcing firefighters to hike long distances. As some firefighters worked to contain and extinguish the fire, others were positioned to defend homes. Road graders dug wide paths around the fireís perimeter to stop the fireís spread. All efforts focused on the goals of protecting lives and structures.The fireís unpredictable behavior posed a significant challenge to firefighters. Kuemmerle described ìextreme fire behavior for this early in the season,î including rapid growth, frequent changing of directions because of wind shifts; along with active nighttime burning when fires usually subside or ìlay down,î as firefighters call it. In the end, firefighters from more than a dozen fire agencies across the region were able to bring the fire under control without losing any homes.Aerial photos from the April 3 Multi-Mission Aircraft flight over the Highway 24 burn area show the fireís erratic movement through uneven terrain. Several homes sit in unburned ìislands,î where firefighters held the fire at bay. Pockets of white ash dot the landscape, evidence of where the fire burned hottest and longest as it fed on grass, brush and yucca.Dry weather leads to high fire dangerEl Paso County and other areas of Colorado have experienced extended periods of abnormally warm and dry weather. The National Weather Service in Pueblo issued 17 red flag warnings between Jan. 30 and April 19 for Fire Weather Zone 226, which includes the areas of Falcon and Black Forest. Red flag warnings are issued when weather conditions such as low relative humidity and high winds create elevated fire danger.A United States Drought Monitor map issued April 19 showed western El Paso County in moderate drought, with the eastern part of the county in severe drought. Predictions for the coming months are pessimistic. Outlook maps from the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center forecast above average temperatures well into 2019. Precipitation is predicted to remain below average through May, and only average through the summer of 2018. At an April 13 news conference, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and state fire officials said the state could be looking at the worst summer wildfire season since 2012 and 2013.How residents can prepareFirefighters have long known that wildfires are not a matter of ìif,î they are a matter of ìwhen.î The Falcon Fire Department encourages residents to be proactive and prepare for wildfire and other disasters by doing the following:
- Create defensible space around structures, mitigate vegetation and reduce fire risks on properties. (See this monthís FFPD column for more information.)
- Sign up to receive emergency alerts via phone call, text message and/or email. Visit http://elpasoteller911.org†to register or update information for the Emergency Notification System (also referred to as Everbridge). Residents without internet access can call 719-785-1971 to register.
- Prepare for evacuation by making plans for family members, pets and livestock. See http://Ready.gov for details.
- Maintain awareness about what is going on by monitoring local news outlets and social media ñ- especially on high fire danger days.
