Elbert County Wildfire Destroys Two Homes
Gust Front Creates Problems As It Blows Through Friday Evening
POSTED: 4:35 p.m. MDT October 11, 2002
UPDATED: 8:18 p.m. MDT October 11, 2002
DEER TRAIL, Colo. -- An Elbert County wildfire destroyed at least two homes and burned up to 25 acres Friday, 7NEWS reported.
Winds from a gust front helped fan the flames just after 6 p.m., just as firefighters were beginning to get a handle on the fire.
The blaze was first called in around 2:20 p.m. in a very rural wooded area of Elbert County called the Bijou Basin. That is west of Deer Trail and north of Kiowa.
More than 10 fire agencies sent units to help fight the blaze and as many as a 30 homes in the area were evacuated, 7NEWS reported. Before leaving their homes, residents cut barbed-wire fences to let their horses escape the flames.
At least one of the structures that burned appeared to be an A-frame home (pictured, left). The other structure appeared to be a mobile home.
Fire units worked to protect other structures in the path of the fire.
More than three hours after the fire started the blaze was pushed by gusty winds in the heavily-timbered area. The fire seemed to explode as the front came through at 6:10 p.m.
Firefighters spread protective foam on at least one house in the path of the fire. The home belongs to Donna Hawkins .
"The fire somehow started across the street from my house and
it's working its way northeast," she said during the height of the fire.
"It sure doesn't seem like this is under control right now,"
she added.
Hawkins said evacuees were being told to go to the Bijou Baptist
Church in Agate, about 25 miles east.
Fire units were hampered in fighting the wildfire because water had to be trucked in to the scene, 7NEWS reported.
There were no reports of injuries from the fire.
Winds from a gust front helped fan the flames just after 6 p.m., just as firefighters were beginning to get a handle on the fire.
The blaze was first called in around 2:20 p.m. in a very rural wooded area of Elbert County called the Bijou Basin. That is west of Deer Trail and north of Kiowa.
More than 10 fire agencies sent units to help fight the blaze and as many as a 30 homes in the area were evacuated, 7NEWS reported. Before leaving their homes, residents cut barbed-wire fences to let their horses escape the flames.
At least one of the structures that burned appeared to be an A-frame home (pictured, left). The other structure appeared to be a mobile home.
Fire units worked to protect other structures in the path of the fire.
More than three hours after the fire started the blaze was pushed by gusty winds in the heavily-timbered area. The fire seemed to explode as the front came through at 6:10 p.m.
Firefighters spread protective foam on at least one house in the path of the fire. The home belongs to Donna Hawkins .
"The fire somehow started across the street from my house and
it's working its way northeast," she said during the height of the fire.
"It sure doesn't seem like this is under control right now,"
she added.
Hawkins said evacuees were being told to go to the Bijou Baptist
Church in Agate, about 25 miles east.
Fire units were hampered in fighting the wildfire because water had to be trucked in to the scene, 7NEWS reported.
There were no reports of injuries from the fire.
Copyright 2002 by TheDenverChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
