The Aftermath

Across the street from the Church and our Neighborhood - This is my home

Today is July 15th almost 3 weeks since the horrible night. The Waldo Canyon Fire was the most destructive fire in Colorado history.  The fire is 100% contained and most of the 32,000 people evacuated are back in their homes.  All those except the almost 350 homes that were lost.  We are home trying to get back to the same old routine except it feels like everything is different.  We are different.  I think  about the fire, I talk about the fire and I still dream about the fire.  Last night, the girls and I saw a fire truck turn into our neighborhood and my heart sank.   I know the girls felt the panic too because I was trying to assure them that everything was okay.  I was driving on Garden of the Gods road and a fire truck passed me going west and immediately my mind went to the night of being evacuated and I could see the endless row of fire trucks rushing by us in my mind. 

Our world is different now. Every time I leave the neighborhood I see the burn line across the street that reminds me how close the fire got to us. I went to pick Zach up from a friends house the other day.  The houses across the street from the friend are gone and a burned car remains in the driveway. Then we saw Zach's teacher around the corner. The remains of her house were going to be bull-dozed that day.  Kristi and I went to the gas station and there was a burned car and motorcycle being towed away.  There is devastation all around us so I have decided to try to point out to the kids just how much the firemen saved. There are burn lines that go right up to people's back doors but their homes were saved.  There were burn spots in Ute Valley behind our neighborhood.  The fire fighter that put those flames out saved our neighborhood and home. The flames across centennial road are evidence that our church was saved.

I was not sure if I should put pictures up of the destruction and I decided to add some pictures because this is our reality now. This is what our community looks like and this is what we are all dealing with.

This is how close the fire was to the Church.

This house backs up to Flying W. I cry every time I go past it and see the swing set still standing. 

The car at the Gas Station

All that remains of a home in Mountain Shadows

An aerial view view published in the Denver Post

The Flag at half staff

Another Aerial view

The Denver Post published aerial pictures and that is how many people determined if their homes were still standing or not.

The fire fighters tore down the fences in the neighborhoods in order to prevent the fire from spreading. The day homeowners were allowed back in to see their homes they made signs with the torn down fences.