Fires, Floods, Snow extremes
Breaking news about Wild Land Fires & Floods and snow storms in the Boulder, Colorado area.
Boulder High winds and Fire Danger today. Small fire on Lee Hill #boulderfire
Nov 12th
The fire in Fourmile is in the 3000 block of Fourmile. The fire was last estimated to be approximately 200 feet wide. Latest reports indicate figrefighters have contained the fire. Lee Hill and Old Stage are re open and evacs cancelled. Deertrail remains closed.
163 reverse 911 calls went out. Fire department is monitoring both fires but danger has been lifter. Lee Hill fire appears to be started by wind blowing branch on power lines. 1 structure, a garage was lost and and auto was burned.
Fire command center is at Lee Hill.
3000 block of Fourmile fire ( carterfire was started by down power lines according to OEM spokesperson.
OEM reports:
11/12 12:05 p.m. – Boulder Wildfires
There are two fires in Boulder County. There is currently no threat to the City of Boulder.
First responders are on scene at both sites. The Emergency Operations Center is open and monitoring the situation, providing support as needed.
The fire at Lee Hill and Deer Trail is approximately 1-2 acres in size. An evacuation order has been issued for all residents in a one mile radius of the intersection of Deer Trail and Lee Hill. Roughly 50 firefighters are on scene right now.
The fire in Fourmile is in the 3000 block of Fourmile. The fire was last estimated to be approximately 200 feet wide. Latest reports indicate figrefighters have contained the fire. Lee Hill and Old Stage are re open and evacs cancelled. Deertrail remains closed.
Carter fire second fire: 5 engines 18 firefighters on scene up hill approximately 400 feet and second fire has broken out next to it. near 3000 block Four Mile according to Boulder county dispatch. 30% containment
High Wind Warning today.
A 1/2 acre fire has broken out at Deer Trail and Lee Hill Road. Many agencies are on scene. Wild land fire department are putting out hot spots according to Boulder county dispatch. Staff at OEM is starting to show up according to Mike Chard
Twitter reports road closures at Old Stage and Lee Hill but Boulder County dispatch says no. 163 reverse 911 calls 50 firefighters
In the City:
A few transformers blew today and are being repaired by Xcel
City of Boulder is working a garage fire at 9th and Marine according to city of boulder dispatch
High Wind warnings
URGENT – WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DENVER CO
404 AM MST SAT NOV 12 2011
…HIGH WINDS TO IMPACT THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS TODAY…
.A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
ACROSS COLORADO ON SATURDAY. WESTERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE IN
ADVANCE OF THIS SYSTEM THIS MORNING…AND THEN CONTINUE THROUGH
DAY AS THE STORM SYSTEM PASSES ACROSS THE REGION.
PEOPLE PLANNING TRAVEL SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR STRONG CROSS WINDS
CAUSING HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. DRIVERS OF LIGHT WEIGHT OR
HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES SHOULD CONSIDER DELAYING TRAVEL OR USE
ALTERNATE ROUTES. IF YOU ARE DRIVING ON THE ROADWAYS SLOW DOWN
AND REMAIN ALERT FOR SUDDEN AND STRONG WIND GUSTS.
COZ035-036-038-039-121900-
/O.CON.KBOU.HW.W.0007.000000T0000Z-111113T0100Z/
LARIMER AND BOULDER COUNTIES BETWEEN 6000 AND 9000 FEET-
JEFFERSON AND WEST DOUGLAS COUNTIES ABOVE 6000 FEET/GILPIN/CLEAR
CREEK/NORTHEAST PARK COUNTIES BELOW 9000 FEET-
LARIMER COUNTY BELOW 6000 FEET/NORTHWEST WELD COUNTY-
BOULDER AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES BELOW 6000 FEET/WEST BROOMFIELD
COUNTY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…ESTES PARK…GLENDEVEY…NEDERLAND…
RED FEATHER LAKES…BAILEY…CENTRAL CITY…EVERGREEN…
GEORGETOWN…IDAHO SPRINGS…WESTCREEK…FORT COLLINS…
HEREFORD…LOVELAND…NUNN…ARVADA…BOULDER…GOLDEN…
LAKEWOOD…LONGMONT
404 AM MST SAT NOV 12 2011
…HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS
EVENING…
A HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS
EVENING.
* TIMING…WESTERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE ACROSS THE FRONT RANGE
FOOTHILLS THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE THROUGH DAY.
* WINDS…WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 30 TO 50 MPH WITH GUSTS IN
EXCESS OF 75 MPH POSSIBLE.
* IMPACTS…TRAVEL ACROSS NORTH TO SOUTH HIGHWAYS AND ROADS WILL
BE VERY DIFFICULT DUE TO STRONG AND GUSTY CROSS WINDS. AREAS
SUSCEPTIBLE TO HIGH WINDS INCLUDE…HIGHWAY 93 BETWEEN GOLDEN
AND BOULDER…HIGHWAY C-470 ALONG THE FOOTHILLS IN JEFFERSON
COUNTY…U.S. HIGHWAY 36 BETWEEN BROOMFIELD AND ESTES PARK…
THE PEAK TO PEAK HIGHWAY FROM ESTES PARK THROUGH BLACKHAWK…
U.S. HIGHWAY 287 FROM LAFAYETTE TO THE WYOMING BORDER…AS
WELL AS THE CARTER LAKE AND HORSETOOTH RESERVOIR AREAS IN
LARIMER COUNTY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
REMEMBER…A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS THAT STRONG AND POTENTIALLY
DAMAGING WINDS ARE EITHER OCCURRING OR HIGHLY LIKELY.
Boulder, U.S. set emergency alert Wed.
Nov 8th
Boulder County, Colo. – The first-ever nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System will occur on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at noon Mountain time and may last up to three and a half minutes.
The test is being conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Federal Communications Commission and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The public will hear a message indicating “This is a test.” The audio message will be the same for radio, broadcast television and cable. The National-level EAS is a public alert and warning system that enables the President of the United States to address the American public during extreme emergencies. Similar to local EAS tests that are conducted frequently, the nationwide test will involve broadcast radio and television stations, cable television, satellite radio and television services and wireline providers across all states and territories.
As federal, state, and local governments prepare for and test their capabilities, this event serves as a reminder for residents to make an emergency plan and gather emergency supplies for themselves and their families, and in their communities and businesses. Visit www.boulderoem.com or www.Ready.gov for more information about how to prepare for emergencies and stay informed in the event of an actual emergency.
Over the past two years and as part of ongoing national preparedness planning efforts, FEMA, the FCC and other federal partners, state, local, tribal and territorial governments, EAS Participants, and others in the EAS Community have been working toward making this test a reality. For more information about the National-level EAS, visit www.fema.gov/emergency/ipaws/eas_info.shtm.
CU scientists: CO2 emissions a HUGE problem
Nov 4th
New calculations showing the global output of heat-trapping carbon dioxide gases jumped by the largest amount on record in 2010 is more evidence that society has made a choice to continue to accelerate climate change, say two University of Colorado Boulder experts.
The new figures calculated by the U.S. Department of Energy show the world pumped more than 560 additional tons of carbon into the atmosphere in 2010 than in 2009, an increase of 6 percent. There are currently 392 parts per million of CO2 in Earth’s atmosphere, a rise of more than 100 since the Industrial Revolution, said CU-Boulder Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research Director Jim White.
The CO2 rise is driven primarily by growing industry in China and India — the two highest users of coal — as well as the United States, said White. “While the world population growth has slowed, the use of fossil fuels continues at a record pace,” he said. Studies have shown Earth’s land temperatures have increased by 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit since the 1950s.
“While it is good news that the global economy continues to grow, we clearly have not taken greenhouse gases and climate change seriously,” said White, an expert on ice cores and climate change. Only a substantial and rapid global move toward alternative energies can slow the growth of CO2 emissions, he said.
“We are rolling the dice here, which is not a good way to plan for the future,” said geography Professor Mark Serreze, director of CU-Boulder’s National Snow and Ice Data Center and an expert on declining Arctic sea ice.
“The warning signs of climate change are all around us, and we have decided to ignore them,” said Serreze. “Humankind has made a choice to do nothing, and we can never go back to where we were again. As a consequence, we will have to adapt to change.”
For more information contact White at 303-492-2219 or james.white@colorado.edu, Serreze at 303-492 -2963 or serreze@kryos.colorado.edu or Jim Scott in the CU-Boulder media relations and news office at 303-492-3114.