THANKFULLY A DAY IN NORTHERN COLORADO IS HELPING FIREFIGHTERS BATTLING THE TWO
LARGEST WILDFIRES IN STATE
HISTORY.
THAT BREAK WILL LAST ALL
WEEKEND.
THE CHANGE TODAY WAS QUITE
NOTICEABLE FROM GRANBY.
THERE THE SMOKE PLUMES WERE
SMALLER.
THE FIRE ACTIVITY SLOWER.
THESE TROUBLESOME FIRES STILL
GREW ANOTHER 18 THOUSAND ACRES
TODAY.
IT'S A LOT OF GROWTH PRETTY
SMALL THOUGH COMPARED TO
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY WHEN THAT
FIRE EXPLODED ALMOST ONE
HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND
ACRES.
IT'S NOW BURNED MORE THAN 290
SQUARE MILES.
BEFORE WE GET SNOW THIS
WEEKEND, WE'LL HAVE TO GET
THROUGH ANOTHER DAY OF EXTREME
FIRE DANGER IN LARIMER AND
GRAND COUNTIES.
WIND GUSTS TOMORROW COULD HIT
40 EVEN 60 MILES PER HOUR.
MORE ON THE FORECAST IN JUST A
MINUTE.
THAT'S NOT GOOD NEWS FOR
FIREFIGHTERS WHO ARE ALREADY
STRETCHED THIN.
THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING LONG
SHIFTS WELL INTO THE NIGHT TO
PROTECT HOMES AND THEIR
NEIGHBORS.
LET'S GET TO NEWS REPORTER
BRENNAN JOINING US FROM GRAND
COUNTY TONIGHT.
SO SO-CALLED THE WEATHER TODAY
ALLOWED FIREFIGHTERS TO ATTACK
THIS FIRE FROM THE AIR.
AND AT TIMES WE SAW THREE
HELICOPTERS UP THERE AND PLANES
SWOOPING IN.
ALL OF THEM KIND OF FOCUSED ON
THE SAME SPOT DOUSING
THE MOUNTAINS WITH WATER.
IN THE PAST FEW MINUTES WE'VE
NOTICED THE WINDS HAVE PICKED
UP JUST A LITTLE BIT OUT HERE
AND IT IS THE START OF YET A
VERY LONG NIGHT, ANOTHER VERY
LONG NIGHT FOR FIREFIGHTERS OUT
HERE.
FIREFIGHTERS LIKE THE ONE WE
MET IN HOT SULFUR SPRINGS.
YEAH, YOU CAN HEAR A
FIREFIGHTER BETWEEN SHIFTS
CAN'T CATCH A BREAK.
THAT'S HELICOPTER FROM EEAST
TROUBLESOME FIRE CALWOOD FIRE
ISN'T GOOD FOR ENERGY.
WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE SOUND 10
YEARS IN THE BAG AS A VOLUNTEER
FIREFIGHTER AT THIS WATER
BLADDER IS THE WAY TO GO.
TONY RUSSELL KNOWS HOW TO PACK
UP, EXPANDS FLASHLIGHTS, EXTRA
BATTERIES.
BUT YEAH, I MEAN EVERYBODY'S
GOT THEIR OWN WAY.
THEY SET UP THEIR PACKS
TONIGHT.
SHE STASHES AWAY EMOTIONS FROM
HER LAST SHIFT.
LIKE IT'S REALLY HARD TO SHOVE
IT DOWN AND KEEP ON TASK.
THE LIEUTENANT WITH HOT SULFUR
SPRINGS PARTIAL FIRE FOUGHT
THE FLAMES NEAR GRAND LAKE ON
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.
I'VE BEEN AT SOME BIG FIRES BUT
NOT NONE OF THEM HAVE EVER MADE
LIKE THAT IS INSANE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE
WE'RE RUNNING HOUSE TO HOUSE TO
HOUSE TO HOUSE.
WE CAN'T SAY THAT ONE CAUSE
IT'S ALREADY INVOLVED.
SO LET'S MOVE UP ONE SEE IF WE
CAN SAY THAT WE SAVED QUITE A
FEW SHE WISHES A FEW COULD HAVE
BEEN.
ALL WE HAVE A FIREFIGHTER LOST
HIS HOUSE ON THE NIGHT WE WERE
OUT THERE.
A BUNCH OF OUR DISPATCHERS LOST
SOME HOUSES OVER THERE AND IT'S
HARD TO.
I MEAN YOU REALLY HAVE TO FIGHT
HARD TO KEEP THAT IN THE BACK
AND GRIEVE LATER.
LATER CELL COMES AFTER A TWENTY
NINE HOUR SHIFT.
SORRY ABOUT THAT.
IT'S REALLY HARD.
IT'S JUST ABSOLUTELY
DEVASTATING UP THERE WITH
THE FIRE BURNING IN HER
BACKYARD.
IT WAS JUST TOO FAST, TOO
STRONG, TOO HOT.
TONY CAN'T AND WON'T TAKE A
BREAK ONCE THE OTHER CREW GETS
BACK WILL LOAD UP THE TRUCK OUR
STUFF AND HEAD BACK OUT.
HOT SULFUR SPRINGS PARTIAL FIRE
IS MADE UP OF ABOUT A DOZEN
VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS.
YOU HEARD ABOUT ONE OF THEM IN
THE STORY THAT LOST HIS HOME.
TONY RUSSELL TELLS US HE WAS A
CAPTAIN WITH THE FIRE
DEPARTMENT AND HE IS STILL OUT
THERE WORKING DESPITE LOSING
HIS HOME.
OUT THERE FIGHTING TO SAVE HIS
NEIGHBOR'S HOMES.
IT WAS SO STRIKING AS WE LISTEN
TO THE SCANNER ON WEDNESDAY
NIGHT, NOEL, AS THEY WERE
TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE
THAT THEY KNEW AS THEY WENT
HOUSE TO HOUSE WHEN THEY MADE
THAT DECISION THAT THERE WAS A
HOUSE THAT THEY COULDN'T SAVE.
THEY OFTEN DO PRECISELY WHO
THEY COULDN'T SAVE IT FOR.
EXACTLY.
THEY TELL US THAT THIS FIRE IS
PERSONAL FOR KYLE.
THEY'RE OUT THERE TRYING TO
SAVE THEIR FRIENDS HOMES AND
THEIR COLLEAGUES HOMES AND
THEY'RE DOING IT WORKING
UNIMAGINABLE HOURS.
BRENDAN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
WORK UP IN GRAND COUNTY TODAY.
WE HAVE JUST LEARNED THE EEAST
TROUBLESOME FIRE HAS KILLED TWO
PEOPLE.
THE GRAND COUNTY SHERIFF POSTED
THE UPDATE ON FACEBOOK JUST
WITHIN THE LAST FEW MINUTES.
EARLIER TODAY THE SHERIFF HAD
SAID YES, SOME PEOPLE WERE
MISSING BUT THEY DIDN'T GIVE AN
EXACT NUMBER.
NOW WE KNOW TWO PEOPLE HAVE
LOST THEIR LIVES.
WE'RE WORKING TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT THESE VICTIMS.
AGGEDON HOW MUCH HAS BURNED IN
THESE TROUBLESOME FIRES STILL
UNCLEAR TONIGHT AT THIS POINT
IT IS STILL TOO ACTIVE FOR
FIREFIGHTERS TO REACH SOME
OF THOSE AREAS.
NOW NEWS REPORTER MARK
SALLINGER SPOKE TO AN ANXIOUS
HOMEOWNER IN GRANT COUNTY WHO
IS JUST WAITING TO HEAR WHAT'S
LOST.
THE FIRE HAS LEFT THE TOWN
OF GRAND LAKE COMPLETELY
EVACUATED HERE IN GRANDBY.
IT'S MOSTLY EMPTY WITH FIRE
TRUCKS DRIVING THROUGH EVERY
COUPLE OF MINUTES.
THOSE WHO EVACUATED TOOK WHAT
THEY COULD AND FLED.
GRANT COUNTY FEELS A LOT LESS
LIKE HOME WE LIVE.
WE DID LIVE OFF HIGHWAY 125
WHEN IT'S COVERED IN A BLANKET
OF SMOKE AND EVERYONE IS FORCED
TO LEAVE.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL ALL BE ABLE TO
REBUILD.
SO THE NATSOUND FAMILY SAYS
NEIGHBORS TELL THEM THEIR HOUSE
HAS DRAWN VICTIM TO A FIRE.
THAT'S MADE HOME A SCARY PLACE.
PROBABLY 20 YOUR NEIGHBORS
THERE'S ONLY TWO HOUSES
STANDING.
IT'S TOO EARLY TO GO BACK AND
SEE WHAT'S BEEN SPARED.
THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WHILE
THEY WAIT HELPLESSLY POWERS
AWAY EVACUATED.
AND IF YOU CAN GO UP AND SEE
WHERE YOUR HOUSE USED TO BE,
IT'S KIND OF LIKE SOMETHING'S
LEFT UNFINISHED.
WHAT KEEPS COMING TO MIND FOR
ME?
IS WE ALL KNOW FOR YEARS THAT
WE WERE WE WERE JUST MOM WE IT
COULD EXPLODE UP THERE.
JOE SKULLION ALSO BELIEVES HIS
HOUSE NEAR GRAND LAKE IS GONE.
ANOTHER VICTIM TO A FIRE THAT'S
GROWN SO FAST THAT BEETLE KILL
UP THERE.
SO THEY'RE IN THE DOWN TIMBER
HAS BEEN DOWN FOR SO LONG THAT
IT'S SO DRY THAT THAT FIRE WAS
LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN BETWEEN
US AND GREENLY.
THERE'S JUST YOU DON'T KILL.
AND THAT'S WHY IT TORE THROUGH
THERE SO QUICKLY.
THE MATTSON'S HAVE LIVED IN
GRAND COUNTY FOR A LONG TIME
EVEN AFTER THE FIRE.
IT'LL STILL BE HOME TO THEM IF
OUR HOUSE SPARE AND ALL OUR
NEIGHBORS HAD LOST THEIR HOUSES
,WE WOULDN'T HAVE WANTED THAT
LIKE YOU WOULD HAVE SURVIVOR'S
GUILT OR SOMETHING.
AND THE MATTSON'S HOPE TO HELP
GRAND COUNTY BY COLLECTING FOOD
AND COATS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
DISPLACED.
THEY'RE HOPING TO DO THAT
SOMETIME NEXT WEEK.
WE HAVE A FULL LIST OF WAYS TO
HELP PEOPLE IMPACTED BY
THE FIRES ON NINE NEWSCAM IN
GRANDBY.
I'M MARK ZELLINGER 9NEWS
EVACUATIONS ARE STILL IN EFFECT
IN GRAND COUNTY AND PARTS
OF ESTES PARK TONIGHT.
THOSE ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE
WINDS
WINDS COULD PICK UP TOMORROW AS JUST PARK EAST WEST OF THE EEAST TROUBLESOME FIRE IS STILL
MOSTLY EVACUATED.
THERE'S JUST AN EERIE EMPTINESS
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF TOWN.
YESTERDAY THE VIEW WAS MORE
APOCALYPTIC AS UNDER AN ORANGE
YELLOW SKY.
PEOPLE PACKED THE ROADS TRYING
TO GET OUT OF TOWN WITH MORE
WIND OVERNIGHT AND TOMORROW.
FIREFIGHTERS THINK THAT IT'S
POSSIBLE THAT THE EEAST
TROUBLESOME FIRE COULD MERGE
WITH THE BURN OF THE KAMERON
PEAK FIRE.
THE STATE'S LARGEST FIRE EVER
RECORDED WHICH CONTINUES TO
BURN AFTER MONTHS OF ACTIVITY.
COMBINE THEY HAVE COVERED 617
SQUARE MILES.
THE GAMBIAN PEAK FIRE DID GET
SOME SNOW AHEAD OF THE WEEKEND
FORECAST.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE MORE THAN
ONE LITTLE STORM THOUGH TO PUT
OUT THIS FIRE AND ALL THE OTHER
OUT AS WELL.
IT DID HELP A LITTLE BIT.
FIRE CREWS WERE ABLE TO GET
MORE CONTAINMENT ALONG THE EAST
AND THE SOUTH SIDES OF THIS
FIRE KATHY, BEFORE THE SNOW
BRINGS IN SOME RELIEF OF COURSE
FIREFIGHTERS FACING ANOTHER
GUSTY DAY TOMORROW.
CERTAINLY DANGEROUS.
HOW I MEAN HOW THE WIND IS
DEFINITLEY ALEX, YOU'RE SO
RIGHT GOING TO BE A FACTOR
TOMORROW AND IT'S GOT FIRE
MANAGERS ON THEIR TOES FOR SURE
24 HOURS FROM NOW RAIN AND SNOW
WILL BE FALLING.
BUT TONIGHT IT'S
THE TEMPERATURES THAT ARE
FALLING ALREADY IN THE LOWER
20S IN THE CITY WITH
THE COLDEST AIR UPSTREAM AND
YET TO MOVE IN AND THAT'S GOING
TO BRING US A COLD SPELL
THAT'LL LAST TWO OR THREE DAYS.
THE FRONT STILL NORTH.
SO TOMORROW WILL BE WINDY AND
WARM BUT THE RAIN TOMORROW
NIGHT CHAGES THE SNOW BY SUNDAY
MORNING AND WE COULD SEE FOUR
TO SIX INCHES OF SNOW IN
DENVER, SIX TO 12 INCHES IN
THE NORTHERN FRONT RANGE
FOOTHILLS AND IN THE FIRE ZONE.
A WINTER STORM WATCH WILL GO
OUT ON SUNDAY FOR MUCH OF THE
FRONT RANGE URBAN CORRIDOR AND
NORTHEAST AND PLAINS AS WELL AS
THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
MOUNTAINS WHERE WE'RE WATCHING
THE WIND VERY CAREFULLY
TONIGHT.
THE FORECAST DO HOLD THAT
THE WINDS WILL BE INCREASING
THE WEST AND
THE LEFTHANDCANYONFIRE ZONE,
THE CALWOOD AND THE EEAST
TROUBLESOME FIRE.
FIFTY FIVE TO 60 MILE PER HOUR
GUSTS ARE LIKELY TOWARD DAWN
TOMORROW.
WINDS AT THE SURFACE HERE OUT
OF THE SOUTHWEST WILL BRING A
WARM DAY AND A DRY DAY.
AND THEN ALL OF THIS KIND
OF COMES TO AN END WITH
THE ARRIVAL OF THAT FRONT
TOMORROW NIGHT AND THAT MUCH
NEEDED MOISTURE.
WE'LL BE DEALING WITH POOR AIR
AGAIN TOMORROW AS THAT SMOKE
PLUME CONTINUES TO SPREAD OUT
OVER THE NORTHERN FRONT RANGE
FOOTHILLS.
I'M GOING TO COVER ALL OF THIS
AND BREAK DOWN THE WEEKEND
FORECAST IN DETAIL JUST AHEAD.
THE FIRE IS A NEW DISRUPTION IN
AN ALREADY CHAOTIC SCHOOL YEAR
IN COLORADO NINE YOU SUPPORTED
JENNIFER MECKLES TALKED TO TWO
SUPERINTENDENTS WHO CAN'T
REOPEN SCHOOL UNTIL THEY KNOW
THAT THEIR PEOPLE AND THEIR
BUILDINGS ARE SAFE.
MOSTLY NORMAL SCHOOL DAY
WEDNESDAY MORNING TURNED INTO
CHAOS IN GRAND COUNTY ON
WEDNESDAY NIGHT STORY WITH OUR
TEACHERS WHO LIVE UP IN GRANDBY
ARE TELLING YOU ABOUT GOING
HOME AND THEN HAVING TO TURN
IMMEDIATELY AROUND AND EVACUATE
OR SCARY EEAST GRAND
SUPERINTENDENT FRANK REEVES
LEFT HIS HOME TOO.
NOW HIS TEAM IS TRACKING DOWN
STAFF AND STUDENTS AND HELPING
FAMILIES FIND SHELTER.
WE STILL DON'T HAVE EVERYONE
ABSOLUTELY ACCOUNTED FOR.
WE'RE PRETTY SURE EVERYONE'S
SAFE BUT WE HAVE NOT HAD VERBAL
CONTACT OR WRITTEN CONTACT WITH
EVER EVEN ONE OF OUR STAFF
MEMBERS.
ACROSS THE DIVIDE IN ESTES PARK
,MOST PEOPLE ARE UNDER
VOLUNTARY AT LEAST IN ALL
THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN WAS
PRETTY WELL EVACUATED.
STUDENTS AND STAFF NOW
SCATTERED ALONG THE FRONT RANGE
WITH FAMILY OR IN HOTELS.
FIREFIGHTERS ARE USING SOME
SCHOOL SPACE FOR SHELTER AND
STAGING AND DISTRICT LEADERS
CANCELED CLASS MONDAY AND
TUESDAY.
I MEAN WE DON'T KNOW YET.
THE FIRE WILL BE ESCALATED THAT
POINT OR WE ACTUALLY GET
THE SNOW AND WE'RE ABLE TO GO
BACK.
THERE'S SO MANY VARIABLES RIGHT
NOW THAT WE JUST WANT TO DO TO
BE ABLE TO LOOK AND DO WHAT'S
BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR
FAMILIES.
EEAST GRANDBY IS TAKING ALL
NEXT WEEK OFF NEXT WEEK WE JUST
ARE TELLING PEOPLE ARE ON STAFF
AND OUR FAMILIES, OUR STUDENTS
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES AND
TAKE CARE OF YOUR FAMILIES.
IF 20-20 IS A YEAR
OF ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE.
WILDFIRES ARE TESTING SCHOOLS
LIMITS LIKE AT THIS POINT WE'RE
NOT PIVOTING.
WE'RE TRAVELING.
I MEAN IT'S WE'RE WE'RE BEYOND
THAT RIGHT NOW.
JENNIFER MECKLES 9NEWS BEFORE
THE FIRES EEAST GRAND ESTES
PARK AND BROUGHT MOST STUDENTS
BACK FOR IN-PERSON LEARNING.
SO GOING VIRTUAL COULD BE ONE
OPTION TO RESTART THE