14 DAY TRIAL // The Waldo Canyon fire started on the 23rd of June around 12 p.m. close to Colorado Springs, and continued to expand ever since.
Recent reports indicate that roughly 6,200 acres (26 sq. km.) of land are still engulfed by flames, while 32,000 people in the region had to be evacuated.
Most of the damaged lands are national forests, but private households are also severely affected.
While most of them were local residents, it seems that members of the United States Air Force Academy also had to seek refuge.
For the time being, nobody knows for sure what started the fire. However, the fact remains that the local vegetation (eg. firs, pines, shrub) played its part in “nursing” the flames.
In spite of the fact that nearly 800 people were sent to help contain the blaze, latest news informs us that only 5% of the Waldo Canyon fire is now under control.
Controlling the fire is also made difficult by the fact that its spreading area is largely represented by rough terrains that make it harder for firefighters to react in time and with maximum efficiency.
As specialists report, the flames can be argued to display a so-called “extreme behavior.” This is due to the fact that they spread rapidly and are characterized by sustained runs. Moreover, constant shifts in the wind's direction are acting in its favor.
Whilst the Waldo Canyon Fire continues its journey towards Highway 24, no efforts are spared in the attempt to keep it from moving northeast and east.
Besides forests and private lands, the flames destroyed one of Colorado's landmarks, the Flying W Ranch, which attracted many tourists worldwide.
It is estimated that firefighters will succeed in controlling and containing the blaze by the 16th of July at the latest.
Luckily, up until now, no human victims were reported.
Recent information about the Waldo Canyon fire are available on InciWeb.
