Where There is Smoke...

Yesterday I received a call from my friend, Michelle, a few minutes after 3:00 PM. There was a fire near our old neighborhood. Could I bring the horse trailer to evacuate her horses?

Michelle is a young mom with two adorable girls. Her husband is out of town on business. She was in panic mode. Michelle.... take three deep breaths! Everything will be OK!

But... What? No! Surely, Michelle must be mistaken.

I called a few friends. We checked online. Michelle was correct. There was a fire. The wind was pushing it towards Michelle's home... in our former neighborhood.

Fire viewed from about 25 miles away

We moved things around in the yard. We found the hitch for the horse trailer. We were on our way, Mr. Dreamy baring the brunt of this since I have some limitations from my recent surgery.

On our way.... about 5 miles north of the fire

As we arrived in the neighborhood, the wind, which drove us insane when we lived there, was howling. We had a quick visit with our neighbors and watched the smoke. The fire was being driven by the wind. But... the wind direction had changed,  just a bit, and the fire was moving to the east, the neighborhood would probably be spared.

The smoke towers over our former barn.

We moved on to Michelle's house, located just a stone's throw north of the evacuation line, about 2-3 miles from the fire at that time. We loaded Andy and Star, some hay and some feed, and turned north towards our home, and safety.

Looking "over our shoulder" at the smoke on our way home.

We brought the horses to our home and tuned to the news. Oh. My. God. We are so thankful we are not in the way of the fire. I can't even begin to imagine the horrors. (Thinking of you, Feral Woman....) The panic of grabbing belongings. Throwing things in the car. Taking last-minute photos. Smelling smoke in the air. Hearing the crackling of the fire...

Andy and Star peacefully munching in our paddock.

The fire began some time after 1:00 PM. Michelle called us at 3:07 PM. Houses had already been engulfed by flames. 

The fire rages on, as I write. It has been burning for 18 hours. There is no containment. The fire keeps jumping roads on its race to the east, and now, turning a bit to the south. 

Today they expect continued wind and extreme fire danger after 2:00. Firemen from all over the State, as well as from the military have been bolstering the ranks through the night.  It is estimated that 8,000 acres, and 40-80 structures have burned. How terrifying to think that just 24 hours ago, 6,426 people who lived in the 55 square mile area that has been evacuated around Black Forest, CO, started their days not even being able to imagine the horror that was to come.

We take so much for granted.

"Live" updates can be found by clicking here. 

UPDATE: as of 1:25 PM, 6/12/2013, our former neighborhood was included in mandatory evacuations.