Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 14 June 2018

Wildfires destroy Utah homes, prompt Colorado evacuations

By COLLEEN SLEVIN and region where Colorado,
LINDSAY WHITEHURST New Mexico, Arizona and
Associated Press Utah meet and which is in
DENVER (AP) — A fast- the middle of a large swath
moving brush fire de- of exceptional drought.
stroyed eight homes in Much of the U.S. West is ex-
the Utah tourist town of periencing some level of
Moab, while more than drought.
3,000 people in Colorado Colorado Gov. John Hick-
and Wyoming fled mul- enlooper said the rapid
tiple wildfires scorching the response from emergency
drought-stricken U.S. West crews has helped prevent
on Wednesday. a repeat of devastating
The blaze in Moab, known wildfires in 2012 and 2013.
for its dramatic red rocks, Years ago, he said fire de-
started in a wooded area partments were hesitant to
Tuesday night and quickly commit resources to fight-
spread to homes over less ing every fire, and launch-
than a square mile (kilome- ing a coordinated response
ter), Police Chief Jim Wind- to a major blaze could take
er said. up to two days.
He said the early investiga- Hickenlooper said better
tion has ruled out natural coordination has cut down
causes for the blaze that on delays, and the state
ignited near a creek that is reimburses local depart-
frequently used as a walk- ments for initial response
way in a largely blue-collar costs, in an attempt to con-
neighborhood. It's not near trol a blaze before it can
the tourist-heavy areas in spread.
the town known for its prox- "We learned a lot from the
imity to Arches and Can- disasters, the fires we had
yonlands national parks. in 2012 and 2013," Hicken-
Moab resident Shane Tan- looper told reporters.
gren told the Salt Lake Tri- Meanwhile, a wildfire in
bune that he arrived home Wyoming's Medicine Bow
from work Tuesday evening National Forest doubled in
to find flames nearby. He size over 24 hours, burning
was trying to protect the about 8 square miles (21
house he's lived in since he square kilometers). Nearly
was 16 by wetting it down, 400 seasonal and perma-
but the wind shifted and In this Tuesday, June 12, 2018, photograph, hot spots glow after sunset near the Falls Creek nent homes have been
sent the flames barreling Subdivision as the 416 Fire burns near Durango, Colo. evacuated because of the
right toward him. He fled. Associated Press fire near the Colorado bor-
"I sat there and watched it der.
burn to the ground," Tan- In Colorado's mountains, day and have managed dents could go back to The situation was better in
gren, 55, told the newspa- residents have evacuated to keep it from spreading about 180 homes no longer central Washington, where
per. more than 1,300 houses — beyond about 91 acres in threatened at the northern authorities lifted evacua-
"Everything — photo- condos, apartments and heavy timber, including edge of the fire Wednes- tion orders or warnings for
graphs, birth certificates, pricey homes — in an area trees killed by pine beetles. day, but others remained about 50 residents as crews
memories — it's all gone. known for its ski resorts. Fire- Across the state, Colora- out of more than 1,900 work to contain a wildfire
My first car — that was a fighters, with help from air- do's largest fire has burned houses. burning grass and brush.
1970 (Pontiac) GTO. Up in craft, got a quick jump on about 43 square miles (111 The blaze about 13 miles Officials said one small out-
flames. I bought it when I the fire near Silverthorne square kilometers) over (43 kilometers) north of Du- building was lost but no inju-
was 15." after it was reported Tues- nearly two weeks. Resi- rango is in the Four Corners ries have been reported.q