Ron Brackett
Snow dumped by a winter storm over Colorado has helped firefighters battling the two largest wildfires in state history, but the cold and ice bring additional worries.
One of those blazes, the East Troublesome Fire burning north of Granby, has destroyed 300 to 400 homes, according to KUSA-TV, which cited an unnamed law enforcement source. The Grand Lake Fire Protection District said seven of its first responders have lost their homes in the fire.
The East Troublesome Fire, which has consumed more than 300 square miles, is the second-largest wildfire in Colorado history. It has killed two people, a couple who had chosen to remain in their home near Grand Lake.
As of Sunday, the fire was only 10% contained, but snow from Winter Storm Billy allowed firefighters to make advances around its edges.
"We’re highly optimistic for what this moisture is going to do for the fire perimeter," Dan Quinonez, an incident commander, said a briefing Sunday.
Quinonez explained that while the snow helps, it won't extinguish the fire. Large logs can continue to smolder and blaze back up when the snow melts, he said.
(WATCH: Home Security Cameras Capture Colorado Wildfires Devouring Cabins)
Warmer temperatures are expected to return Tuesday. Until then, many of the houses that were evacuated are vulnerable to the freezing temperatures brought by the winter storm.
Rich Johnson was among the 6,400 residents of Estes Park ordered to evacuate on Friday. He said electricity was out in the city and he worried his pipes would freeze.
"Either way, we're coming home to a disaster," Johnson told Colorado Public Radio. "Whether the house gets burnt or the pipes are broken. Can't win."
Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin said 60 to 80 volunteer contractors worked Sunday and Monday to shut off water and open pipes at empty homes.
The fire has damaged or destroyed hundreds of utility poles and miles of power lines are down, KDVR-TV reported.
(WATCH: Winter Storm to Spread Snow and Ice)
Frigid temperatures and unsafe road conditions led to firefighters being pulled from the Cameron Peak Fire over the weekend, according to the Fort Collins Coloradoan.
The Cameron Peak Fire has burned more than 326 square miles and is 64% contained. It is the largest wildfire in state history. At their closest points, it and the East Troublesome Fire are less than 10 miles apart.
"The snow will help with moisture but it does add challenges from a personnel and logistical standpoint – keeping everybody warm and then keeping our equipment from freezing," Lt. Aaron Smith with the Timberline Fire Protection District told KDVR.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
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