Loveland, Colorado Brush Fire

It’s been terribly dry in Northern Colorado.

I can’t remember the last time we had a substantial rain.

Last week, the big news was the fire in Boulder County that claimed over 600 acres of land and at least 92 homes (nine of them belonging to firefighters.) Fortunately, no one was injured.

As we were leaving church Sunday morning, it was impossible to miss smoke rising due west of our town, Loveland. It did not look good.

As soon as I got back to the house, I grabbed the camera and took some photos.

I was curious as to how close the fire actually was, so I hopped in the car and headed towards the foothills.

As I got close, it was apparent that many others had a similar idea.

I pulled up within a couple miles of the fire and struck up conversation with a gentleman. He informed me that his home was over the hill and a bit south from where the fire was. He mentioned that his dog was in the house, but there was no way he could get there.

Fortunately, the winds were blowing the opposite direction.

I took a number of photos, including one that appears to be a structure going up in flames.

You can see the rest of the photos on my Flickr stream.

Everyone understands the risks of living in a dry, wooded area. But you never expect this to happen to you.

I’m glad everyone was able to evacuate and I applaud the city and the firefighters for doing such a great job.

Lady Gaga is not a hero. Justin Bieber is not a hero. These brave men and women fighting to save lives and property are the real heroes. My hat goes off the them.

Today, the fires are still going. There is a haze of smoke across the front range. This is a view from my office window.

Here’s hoping they can get this thing put out before any more damage is done. I know people are eager to get home and survey the damage.