I am not quite sure where all the time last week went, but it went, and I have no crocheted snowflake to share today. Thankfully, God is not stingy like me and blessed us with about eight inches as of bedtime last night. About four inches had fallen on the Troublesome Fire, which caused the evacuation of Estes Park, Grand Lake and nearby residences Friday night.
The forecast called for up to 20 inches, and so far, as of 10 p.m. last night, actual accumulation was not so generous, thanks in part to high winds and extremely hot termperature of the explosive fire in a severely droughted and beetle-killed forest. We continue to pray for the safety of the firefighters and those who've had to leave their homes, as well as plumbers who are volunteering to turn off water in evacuated homes to prevent pipes from freezing. The low for Estes Park was 1 degree on Saturday night, and was forecast for -4 last night. I hope the gigantic herds of elk (and all the beloved wildlife) I enjoyed so much were able to escape the rapidly advancing flames.
The Cameron Peak Fire did get a weather break and had received more than a foot of snow by 10 p.m. last night. This fire had been darkening our skies, roughly 90 miles south, for more than two months. People who live in Loveland and Fort Collins had it worse than we did and often described their sky as apocolyptic.
Estes Park was my home for eight years. Living in the mountains was my paradise. Rocky Mountain National Park was my backyard for eight years. I cannot even fathom what the people living there must be going through now. This year's wildfires have devastated so many. My heart is broken.
I've always loved snow. But it takes on a whole new meaning now. Our mountains need snow, and lots of it.
Really apocalyptic. Scary!
ReplyDeleteHear hear. My nephew and his wife who live in rural Boulder had to pack their evacuation bags two weeks ago. It's been a scary time.
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