Fires across Colorado

[Hummer]

We've been watching the progress of the Pine Gulch and Grizzly Creek fires. The Pine Gulch fire started in the Bookcliffs north of Palisade and has grown to more than ~58,000 acres, one of the largest in Colorado history. It's readily visible at 12 miles north of our farm outside Palisade.

The Grizzly Creek fire is burning north, south, east and west and through Glenwood Canyon and is around 8000 acres, closing I-70 in both directions and evacuating residents from No Name to Cottonwood Pass. It is the the highest-priority fire in the country due to the I-70 closure. Closer detour routes have been closed making the longer routes difficult and impractical. I don't know when I'll be able to travel to irrigate. I-70 could be closed for another week or more.

This state and our country really needs the leadership to build efficient alternate north and south routes across the Continental Divide.

At our home a few miles east of the Divide we've been inundated by the orange glow of light filtering through smoke, the heavy smoke and some ash fallout. I imagine that many of you along the northern Front Range are getting it too. We live in a high fire danger area and I work every week to lessen the risk. When we see the smoke we are cognizant of the tremendous loss of life and productivity that comes from the fires.

[BushMasterBoy]

My eyes are burning something awful. Visine A seems to help.

[Gman]

Like our air quality hasn't been bad enough this year.

[00tec]

They even had a hot round set a fire right at the top of the berm at the Cherry Creek State Park range today.

[Irving]

Thank you for the info. I was just taking pictures of the sun today because it has been so red for the last two days.

[rondog]

My eyes are burning something awful. Visine A seems to help.

Wow, maybe that's why MY eyes have been bugging me so much! Didn't consider smoke.....

[beast556]

Big fire burning up the Poudre canyon also. Pretty smokey up here in ft fun.

[Great-Kazoo]

Hopefully we'll not see that much of it down here. But it's too dry and windy. A lot of people are concerned, an errant cigarette tossed out a window, or lightening strike will kick off what you're experiencing up there.

[O2HeN2]

At exactly 8am woke up to the smell of forest fire smoke here in the 'springs.

Amazing how that'll jar you awake.

O2

[Aloha_Shooter]

Hmmm ... haven't smelled the fire here in NE COS but can definitely see the smoky haze above the horizon in all directions.

EDIT: Okay, I take it back ... got the smell just as I pressed Submit ...