Jun. 16, 2002 - 23:02 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

Late Fire News

Latest on the Hayman Fire is that it has covered more than 100,000 acres. I saw an overlay of the Hayman Fire on top of the Denver Metro Area a day or two ago, the fire has been bigger than our area.

The latest we heard was that a female Forest Service employee who was checking out an illegal fire was trying while there to burn a "Dear Joan" letter from her special other which started the fire.

Short on details other than she has allegedly confessed and faces a bunch of charges.

What are we supposed to think ? Did she do it on purpose in a fit of rage ? Or was it pulled out of her hand by a vagrant breeze ? One thing I do think is that she wasn't taking care of business at the time. Wasn't reported if she made any attempt to put the fire out.

As dry as our hills are a flame will race faster than a human can run from what I have heard.

Report tonight is that progress has been made on the containment of the fire, one figure I heard was 50 percent, another was 30 per cent -- but at least it apparently is not getting larger and the burn is not going toward Denver now.

I remember the fire on Storm King Mountain near Glenwood Springs a year or two ago, the one that cost the lives of fire crews. I remember that after the burn and rains came a river of mud came across I 70, both eastbound and westbound causing tied up traffic until equipment was sent in to clear the road. So probably the silt and mud will choke the watercourses at the site of the Hayman Fire when the rains fall down there. Some of that land is watershed for Denver water supply.

Also from what I read, a fire of that size and intensity kills everything and sterilizes the earth. So new growth will have to be planted and will be slow in growing.

At least for Father's Day we have the encouragement that the fire is growing no larger.

There are still places for tourists to go here as there are unburnt areas, but for those of us who have grown up in this state and have seen loved localities seared by fire and know that new growth will be scrubby and probably not reach any height for many years, to say the least it is disheartening and discouraging.

I can't think of much more to say tonight than, I hope a swift containment can be made. In our area, the sought after items are Late Fire News . . . . . .

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