2012 Colorado wildfire coverage: Part 3 by Peter Dettmann

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MONDAY, JUNE 25, 2012

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Denver cop dies after City Park Jazz shooting The female officer was shot in the head while breaking up a fight at the outdoor concert. By Yesenia Robles The Denver Post

A female police officer was shot and killed Sunday night during Denver’s popular City Park Jazz scene, sending hundreds of people fleeing as shots were fired. The officer was shot in the head while breaking up a fight just as the music ended. She was taken to a hospital, where she was declared dead.

As many as 30 police cars were reported on the scene near the boat house. Multiple people were questioned, and dozens of officers continued to scour the area, including the nearby Denver Zoo. At a late-night news conference, Mayor Michael Hancock asked for residents of Denver to give the Police Department their prayers and said the city mourned the loss of a single mother and a tremendous leader. Hancock said Denver was still “a safe city” and that he wouldn’t let a few people destroy summer events attended by thousands of people — including his wife and children. “We will not surrender this city to anyone,” he said.

Chief Robert White said one person, who possessed a gun, was in custody but that the person had not been confirmed as a suspect. “We will know about that tomorrow,” he said. Sometime after 8 p.m., multiple shots were fired. The chaotic scene was one of confusion as fleeing people shouted, “They’re shooting over there.” Crowds seated southwest of the pavilion reacted slowly at first, but as people began rushing by from the other end of the park, chaos erupted. Many people tripped, and lawn chairs and blankets were abandoned. The slain officer was originally from Detroit and was a seven-year veteran of the police force.

Developing story. Find updates on the search for a shooter. »denverpost.com

Sunday night’s concert was a tribute to Charlie Burrell, a jazz bassist who also plays with the Denver Symphony Orchestra. The concert also featured Purnell Steen and Le Jazz Machine. Witnesses to the shooting are asked to contact Denver police at 720-913-STOP. Denver Post business editor Kristi Arellano contributed to this report.

FIRES ACROSS COLORADO

11,000 people evacuated MANITOU SPRINGS: Waldo Canyon fire “just shocking”

HICKENLOOPER: Thought of arson “makes me crazy”

FIREFIGHTERS: Half of U.S. fire resources in Colorado By Kurtis Lee The Denver Post

After dropping a load of water behind some homes in the Cedar Heights neighborhood at the Waldo Canyon fire, a helicopter heads back to refill its bucket. The fire was bearing down on Colorado Springs, having consumed 2,500 acres with zero percent containment. Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post

Some go home, while others learn theirs is lost Another 57 homes burn in the High Park fire, and 1,200 owners get the OK to return. By Tegan Hanlon The Denver Post

The toll from the most destructive fire in Colorado history continues to mount, even as many evacuees were allowed to return home. At least

248 homes have been destroyed. About 1,200 of the 4,300 homeowners evacuated from the path of the High Park fire, west of Fort Collins, were allowed to return to their properties Sunday, said Reghan Cloudman, a spokeswoman for fire incident team. But residents of the Glacier View subdivision who met with fire officials were told at least 57 more homes in their neighborhood had been lost. The

confirmed count previously was 191 homes, already a record. Fred and Bobbi Hatfield were among the residents whose homes were still standing — for now. “It’s still in jeopardy,” said Bobbi, 56, noting the unexpected maneuvers the blaze has made in the past. The Hatfields said one of their neighbors was not as lucky. “That’s tough to watch,” said Fred, 70, about one friend

who learned her home had been destroyed. “She just burst into tears.” Among the people entering at the the Colorado 14 checkpoint — where residents had to show identification with proof of address — were Loren Gitchel, 56, and Connie Carlson, 53. The married couple had a home on Kings Canyon Road. They were evacuated two weeks ago and told by the LaHIGH PARK » 6A

Fire updates. Keep track of the latest on the state’s blazes

Fires of 2012. A list of the wildfires and the damage they have

with up-to-date coverage and more. »denverpost.com

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colorado springs» The Waldo Canyon fire, which officials here called “very aggressive,” spread in three directions and displaced about 11,000 people from their homes as fires continued to burn statewide Sunday. Nearly half that total — about 5,000 living in Manitou Springs — were allowed to return to their homes beginning at 8 p.m. Sunday. Mandatory evacuations remained in place for Cascade, Green Mountain Falls and Chipita Park. Situated several miles west of Colorado Springs, the fire — which for many residents in this southern Colorado city became a spectacle — charred at least 2,500 acres and forced evacuations of about 4,000 homes in El Paso County. “This is a day we’ve long dreaded would come,” Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach said at a news conference Sunday afternoon. While officials reported no structural damage at the afternoon news conference, the fire remained at zero containment, with another acreage assessment slated for this morning. Greg Heule, a public-information officer for the Waldo Canyon fire, said 450 firefighters from several agencies were working to contain it. “The fire has been very, very active,” Heule said. “I anticipate quite a few more acres than what we currently have.” WALDO » 6A

By the numbers

11,000 Number of people evacuated at one point in Waldo Canyon fire

248 Homes destroyed in High Park fire

6A» NEWS

monday, june 25, 2012 B denverpost.com B the denver post

A Manitou Springs police officer keeps motorists away from the entrance to Manitou Springs on Colorado Avenue on Sunday as the Waldo Canyon fire, which began Saturday afternoon, led to evacuations in the city. Evacuees arrived at the entrance while they were waiting for the road to reopen. Photos by Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post

WALDO «FROM 1A A Type 1 incident command team, the highest classification for fire disasters, was requested by local fire officials and is expected to take over the operations at the fire as early as today. Moreover, four specially equipped C-130 military transport planes — capable of dropping 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in less than five seconds — are slated to help with the fire. Two of the aircraft will be provided by the 302nd Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve, Peterson Air Force Base, and two by the 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne. Sulyn Wallace said she received a knock on her door at 2 a.m. from police telling her to evacuate. “It’s just shocking. It’s really scary to see the smoke this close to home,” said Wallace, who has lived in Manitou for about 20 years and had never been evacuated. Roy Byrne moved to Manitou Springs six months ago from Las Vegas. “I’m not used to this fire stuff,” Byrne said. “I barely had any time to get my belongings and get out.” Gov. John Hickenlooper met with fire officials and said more than half the nation’s fleet of firefighting resources is now in Colorado. The fire began Saturday afternoon,

and there was no information on what sparked it. In neighboring Teller County, arson is suspected as the cause of some wildfires. When asked about the chance that arson may have been involved in the Waldo Canyon fire, Hickenlooper said: “It makes me crazy. I can’t even think straight.” Officials with the Red Cross estimated that more than 200 people stayed at Cheyenne Mountain High School on Saturday night, with more expected to arrive Sunday. Jeannie Jonack was evacuated from her Manitou home and sat next to a cot she had claimed in the school’s gymnasium. “You never see fires this close to the city,” Jonack said. “I remember the smoke from the Hayman, which was nearby but not right on top of us like this one.” At a morning briefing, Bach said, “We’re just really concerned about the speed at which this fire is spreading.” “We’re hoping that with additional federalized resources in here we can make some progress on this the next couple of days,” Bach said. Sunday night, an orange haze from the fire blanketed much of Colorado Springs.

Officials closed Cheyenne Canon Park, Palmer Park and Garden of the Gods as a precaution because of the high fire danger. The Colorado Springs Fire Department reported flames from the Waldo Canyon fire as high as 100 feet Saturday night, moving a half-mile to a mile per hour. The Penrose Equestrian Center was providing shelter for large animals evacuated from the fire area. To the north in Douglas County, another small fire prompted some preevacuation notices Sunday. The Trout Creek fire started after 2 p.m. about half a mile east of Highway 67 in Pike National Forest. Fire officials sent out a pre-evacuation notice to 155 homes in West Creek and Trout Creek subdivisions. The fire was estimated at about 25 acres Sunday afternoon, with full containment expected by nighttime. There were 20 firefighters battling the fire, assisted by a helicopter and two single-engine air tankers.

Kurtis Lee: 303-954-1655, klee@denverpost.com or twitter.com/kurtisalee

Slide show. See more photos from the Waldo Canyon fire »denverpost.com/mediacenter

HIGH PARK fire

COLORADO 70

Denver Detail area 25

GRAND JUNCTION

TROUT CREEK fire

TREASURE fire 285

Busy fire day At least 10 fires were burning across Colorado Sunday, putting heavy demands on firefighting resources.

550

DURANGO 491

WOODLAND HEIGHTS fire

WEBER fire

FORT COLLINS

LITTLE SAND fire

DENVER WALDO 70 CANYON fire CR102 fire

COLORADO SPRINGS

SPRINGER fire 50

PUEBLO

ALAMOSA

160 160

STATELINE fire

The Denver Post

2012 fires Lower North Fork fire

Woodland Heights fire

Date started: March 22 Location: One mile east of Foxton Acres: 4,140 Homes destroyed or damaged: 27 Casualties/injuries: Three homeowners died from smoke inhalation and exposure to flames. Status: 100 percent contained April 2

Date started: Saturday Location: Estes Park Acres: 27.3 Homes destroyed or damaged: 22 Firefighters working: Unknown Casualties/injuries: None Status: 75 percent containment as of Sunday afternoon; 100 percent containment anticipated by Sunday night

Little Sand fire Date started: May 13, still active Location: 13 miles northwest of Pagosa Springs Acres: 20,416 on Sunday afternoon Homes destroyed or damaged: None Firefighters working: 181 on Sunday afternoon Casualties: None Status: 31 percent contained Sunday afternoon

HIGH PARK «FROM 1A rimer County Sheriff’s Office that their home had been burned to the ground, Gitchel said. They were going in to take pictures to send their insurance company. The couple has rented an apartment in Fort Collins and plans to rebuild. “We haven’t got any choice but to handle it this way,” Gitchel said. The High Park fire was at 83,205 acres as of Sunday night with 45 percent containment. It is the secondlargest fire in Colorado’s history. Incident commander Bill Hahnenberg said that a new Type-1 Incident Management Team will take over in a “seamless transition” today. “My goal was to bring the fire to conclusion as quickly as possible to diminish the effects on this community,” Hahnenberg said. Nick Christensen, executive officer of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, said the team transfer is normal every two weeks. The High Park fire began burning June 9. Hahnenberg said on Saturday, the fire became established west and north of “The Narrows” with numerous spot fires that firefighters could not handle. Fire personnel had to pull back from the Glacier View subdivision. Extreme heat and low humidity have sparked fires across the state. Today, temperatures will be in the 80s and low 90s with 10 to 20 mph winds.

Sharla Peterson of Colorado Springs takes a photo of the scene in Manitou Springs on Sunday. Peterson was not one of the evacuees but lives close to where the Waldo Canyon fire continues to burn.

Hewlett fire Date started: May 14 Location: North of Highway 14 in Poudre Canyon Acres: 7,658 Homes destroyed or damaged: None Casualties: None Status: 100 percent contained May 22

Sunrise Mine fire Date started: May 25 Location: Four miles north of Paradox Acres: 5,742 Homes destroyed or damaged: None Casualties/injuries: None Status: 100 percent contained June 3

Springer fire

Smoke rises from the High Park fire Sunday near Livermore. With 10 wildfires burning, including one that has scorched more than 118 square miles and destroyed at least 248 homes near Fort Collins, Colorado is having its worst wildfire season in a decade. Dawn Madura, The Coloradoan

Date started: June 17 Location: Three miles from Lake George Acres: 1,145 Homes destroyed or damaged: None Casualties/injuries: Firefighters suffered three minor injuries Status: 100 percent contained Saturday

High Park fire “Hopefully Mother Nature will start to cooperate at some point,” Christensen said. The Waldo Canyon fire, one of at least 10 fires burning across Colorado on Sunday, has forced thousands of people to evacuate. “There will be competition for resources,” Hahnenberg said. About 1,900 personnel are working on the

High Park fire. For every two hours worked, the firefighters have one hour of rest, he said. “The men and women who work on this fire, this is what they train to do,” Hahnenberg said. Tegan Hanlon: 303-954-1729 or thanlon@denverpost.com

Date started: June 9 Location: 15 miles west of Fort Collins Acres: 83,205 Homes destroyed or damaged: 191 as of Sunday morning Firefighters working: 1,923 Casualties/injuries: One casualty; two firefighters injured but not firerelated Status: 45 percent Sunday afternoon

Treasure fire Date started: Saturday Location: Mosquito Peak, outside of Leadville Acres: 300 Homes destroyed or damaged: None reported as of Sunday afternoon Firefighters working: 62 Casualties/injuries: None Status: Five percent containment as of Sunday afternoon

Waldo Canyon fire Date started: Saturday Location: Pike National Forest, El Paso County Acres: 2,500 Homes destroyed or damaged: None Firefighters working: 450 Casualties/injuries: None Status: Zero containment as of Sunday afternoon

CR-102 fire Date started: Sunday Location: Near Elbert in El Paso County Acres: 600 Homes destroyed or damaged: None Casualties/injuries: None Status: 90 percent contained by 4:50 p.m. Sunday

Trout Creek fire Date started: Sunday Location: Half a mile east of Highway 67 Acres: 15-20 Homes destroyed or damaged: None Firefighters working: 20 Casualties/injuries: None Status: Unknown containment as of Sunday evening Sarah Simmons, The Denver Post

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TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2012

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Green thumb: How to help your outdoor plants in the extreme heat. »denverpost.com/extras

COLORADO WILDFIRES

Military craft on attack

HIGH PARK: Buckhorn area remains very active

WALDO CANYON: Air Force tankers deployed

LAST CHANCE: Blaze destroys four homes

83,262 acres | 55% containment

4,500 acres | 5% containment

38,400 acres | 50% containment By Tim Hoover The Denver Post

The battle to contain devastating wildfires across Colorado reached a new and more aggressive stage Monday as C-130 military tankers joined the fight to bombard the Waldo Canyon blaze with thousands of gallons of fire retardant.

Bethany Urban hugs a police officer Monday during a gathering of support in the wake of the shooting death Sunday of Officer Celena Hollis. More than 100 residents congregated at Denver Police Station District 2 to support the officers in the field after Hollis was fatally wounded at City Park Jazz. She had tried to break up a fight between two groups there. Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post

A shared tragedy By Tom McGhee, Jessica Fender and Yesenia Robles The Denver Post

A 21-year-old man has been jailed in the shooting death of Denver police Officer Celena Hollis in a killing that brought community members out to show support for police. Hollis, the mother of a 12-year-old daughter, was killed at a jazz concert in City Park. Rollin Oliver was being held Monday on suspicion of first-degree murder in the death of Hollis, who was shot in the head after attempting to break up a fight involving two groups of people. The trouble occurred as the concert was ending at about 8 p.m. Sunday. Hollis was in uniform, patrolling the concert with other off-duty officers working as security for the event. “We ended at 8:02, and five minutes later we heard the gunshots,” said piano player Purnell Steen, who had been performing. “We were still on the back side of the stage by the lake cooling off. ... Someone said, ‘Oh, it’s just fireworks,’ but I said, ‘Nope, that’s gunfire.’ ” The event was a tribute to Charlie Burrell, a jazz bassist who also plays with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. “This was a celebration of an incredible person in our community,” said Andrew Hudson, longtime spokesman for former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb.

Four of the C-130 aircraft, two from the 302nd Airlift Wing of the U.S. Air Force Reserve at Peterson Air Force Base and two from the 153rd Airlift Wing of the Wyoming Air National Guard in Cheyenne, took to the skies with 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in each of their bellies. The planes can drop their huge payloads in less than five seconds and can be refilled in 15 minutes. There are only eight such C-130s, plus one spare, in all of the United States that can be fitted with the special firefighting equipment, and half the fleet is now in Colorado. Each plane costs $6,600 per flight hour, according to a U.S. Forest Service report. On Monday, each tanker made one flight on the Waldo Canyon fire, now estimated at 4,500 acres and 5 percent contained. The fire has not burned any structures, but it is bumping up against the Cedar Heights subdivision. That neighborhood remains under mandatory evacuation, as does Mountain Shadows south of Chuckwagon. According to Jennifer Jones, a spokeswoman for the service at the National Inter-Agency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, the heavy military airFIRE » 6A

“She was an amazing person with an engaging smile who was well-liked and respected by her colleagues and the community she served.” By Jeremy P. Meyer The Denver Post

Celene Hollis was shot and killed Sunday night while working off-duty as security detail at a concert.

Celena Hollis had worked for the Detroit Police Department only a few years when she realized she had to leave. The city was cutting back, and junior police officers likely would lose their jobs. Hollis, a single mother with a young daughter, looked for somewhere to relocate. She found Denver — a safe city that embraced her energetic and personable style, where she worked as a police officer for seven years until Sunday. Hollis, 32, was shot and killed Sunday night while working off-duty as part of a security detail at a City Park Jazz concert — a weekly summertime event created 26 years ago by HOLLIS » 12A

POLICE » 12A

A U.S. Air Force C-130 tanker flies over the Waldo Canyon fire west of Colorado Springs on Monday. Joe Amon, The Denver Post

Online resources Maps: View perimeter maps of the Waldo Canyon, High Park and Weber wildfires. »denverpost.com Air quality: Learn more about Front Range air quality in the wake of Colorado’s fire outbreak. »blogs.denverpost.com/health

Assistance: How to help the victims. »denverpost.com

6A» NEWS

tuesday, june 26, 2012 B denverpost.com B the denver post

Colorado wildfires In addition to the High Park, Waldo Canyon and Weber fires, several other wildfires were burning in Colorado on Monday. Little Sand fire Date started: May 13, still active Location: 13 miles northwest of Pagosa Springs Acres: 21,616 as of Monday Homes destroyed or damaged: None Firefighters working: 196 on Monday Casualties: None Status: 31 percent contained Monday

Trees burn behind homes along the edge of the Waldo Canyon fire west of Colorado Springs on Monday. Investigators say they don’t know how the fire started and are seeking any possible leads from the public. Joe Amon, The Denver Post

FIRE «FROM 1A craft are not used to fight fires until all other existing resources — including private craft — are unavailable. “The most important criteria — and the only one that is required to be met — is that commercial tankers are committed or not readily available,” Jones said. Jones said that was when the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group, which is composed of federal, state and local officials, decided to bring in the military tankers. The only other officials who can decide to deploy such C130s are the governors of California, Wyoming and North Carolina, where Air National Guard Airlift Wings with the special planes are based. But the governor of Colorado, where the only such C-130s are stationed with an Air Force Reserve unit, has no such authority. Roxane White, chief of staff for Gov. John Hickenlooper, said state emergency-management authorities notified her just before 7 p.m. Saturday that U.S. Forest Service officials said firefighting efforts needed to reach a new stage. The aircraft were in the air by 1 p.m. Monday, White said. “We’ve asked repeatedly on the fires, ‘Are we at a stage where we can request these?’ ” White said, adding that firefighting officials said that until Saturday, there were still commercial aircraft available. Jones said a federal agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense governs the use of the big planes. “Their role is not to be first responders,” she said. “Their role is to provide us with a surge capability.” The fires marked the first time any of the aircraft had been used in Colorado this year. One of the tankers is piloted by reservist Lt. Col. Robert Fairbanks, who has been flying C-130s for 16 years and been on the reserve squad for seven. “It is more personal being right here in our hometown,” Fairbanks said. “It’s unfortunate that they need us, but we are always happy to help out.” Incident commander Rich Harvey said good progress was made on the fire Monday. “Five percent doesn’t sound like a lot,” he said, “but it’s more than zero and we’re going in the right direction.” Investigators still have no idea how the fire started. They’re seeking any possible leads from the public. Pike and San Isabel National Forest supervisor Jerri Marr said Waldo Canyon is the No. 1 priority fire in the country. “It doesn’t mean it’s more important than the High Park fire near Fort Collins, or others burning throughout the West,” Marr said. “It’s an assessment based on the complexity of the fire, its movement in multiple directions, the shifting winds and its proximity to residential areas.” Tim Hoover: 303-954-1626 or thoover@denverpost.com Staff writers Kurtis Lee and Erin Udell contributed to this report.

FOUR HOMES LO ST I N L AST CH AN CE B L AZ E

Fire sears 38,400 acres in few hours By Sarah Simmons The Denver Post

A grass fire apparently ignited by a passing vehicle ripped across an estimated 38,400 acres of rural Washington County late Monday, destroying 11 structures near Last Chance. In a matter of hours, it became the fourth-largest wildfire in Colorado history. At least four of the structures that were leveled were homes, according to Angel Earl, who was acting as spokeswoman for the northeast Colorado agencies dealing with the fire. The blaze was thought to have been ignited by a passing vehicle that got a flat tire and, in turn, threw off sparks af-

ter the blowout. Shortly before 10 p.m., the fire was reported as 50 percent contained, with efforts aimed at saving the Woodlin School northeast of Last Chance. U.S. 36 was closed from Byers to Last Chance, and Colorado 71 was shut down from Brush to Limon by the blaze. Utility lines were down across both highways. One large air tanker and one singleengine air tanker were used to attack the fire. By mid-evening, an estimated 110 people were fighting to stop the blaze’s march. The fire spread quickly after initially being reported at roughly 1,500 acres.

Residents in the area of Last Chance and Woodrow were ordered to evacuate as the flames spread. The American Red Cross set up an emergency shelter at Akron High School. Nine of the structures that were devoured by the flames were in Last Chance itself — a tiny town at the intersection of highways 36 and 71. Power was out in the southern half of Washington County. “I left a lot behind, but I got me and my grandkids out, and that’s all that matters,” Sharon Chenoweth told 9News.

Stateline fire Date started: Saturday Location: Durango, near the Colorado-New Mexico border Acres: 350 Homes destroyed or damaged: One Firefighters working: Unknown Casualties/injuries: Two firefighters treated for smoke inhalation Saturday Status: 50 percent contained Monday Treasure fire Date started: Saturday Location: Mosquito Peak, outside of Leadville Acres: 320 Homes destroyed or damaged: None reported as of Sunday afternoon Firefighters working: 125 Casualties/injuries: None Status: 10 percent contained Monday

Sarah Simmons: 303-954-1210 or ssimmons@denverpost.com

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the denver post B denverpost.com B tuesday, june 26, 2012

NEWS «7A

H I G H PA R K F IR E

Evacuees persevere as battle rages on By Tegan Hanlon The Denver Post

The waiting game continues for residents displaced by the stubborn High Park fire burning northwest of Fort Collins. Since lightning struck in Paradise Park on June 9, the fire has scorched 83,205 acres and destroyed at least 248 homes. Rancher Linda Steadman was killed when flames swept over her Old Flowers Road home the first day of the fire. Mark Wurdeman, a fire information officer, said containment for the fire remains at 45 percent. “It was a good day today,” he said Monday afternoon. Firefighters focused on getting the fire down to the road south of Jack’s Gulch on Buckhorn Road. Crews set back-

burns using plastic pingpong balls filled with flammable chemicals and shot from a helicopter. “Then burning is on our terms instead of Mother Nature’s terms,” Wurdeman said. Once firefighters get the fire in a straight line and at the road, they can begin trying to cool the area, he said. Although some residents were allowed to return home Monday, thousands remain evacuated. Diane Barger and Jay Cleary sat outside of Cache La Poudre Middle School in Laporte Monday. Both know their homes still stand but are waiting on word to move back in. “The days just kind of slide into one another,” said Barger, who has been evacuated from her Poudre Park home three

times since the fire started. Barger came to the school Thursday night with a truck full of essentials. Cleary, 54, said he has been told the home he evacuated from Friday when the blaze made a run from Poudre Canyon north into Glacier View Meadows, is still standing. Cleary’s area had been on pre-evacuation for about a week, a time during which he and his wife, Debra, could watch the flames flicker from their windows. Debra decamped for New Jersey. Cleary videotaped the entirety of his home, packed an ice chest with groceries and drove off with an SUV full of important paper and pictures, and the family pets. He has been staying at the middle school since Friday.

As Cleary and Barger discussed community meetings and the current state of the fire, they said they are tired of being

away from home for so long. “It’s kind of like being at summer camp,” Barger said about the evacuee cots, and vacation

from TV and air conditioning. “We hang out and talk and gossip and pray that the fire’s going to go away.”

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Buick’s beautiful sleeper.. Today’s undiscovered bargain in a full-size premium sedan by B. Debel

AUROR A, CO - As with any bargain, you’ll most often find it on the road less traveled. Today, that road leads to Suss Buick GMC, and the bargain is on a used 2011 Buick Lucerne, priced from $22,981 with NO added dealer handling fees, thousands back from the original MSRP of $33,895. If you’re in the market for a full-size premium sedan, go see the Lucerne and take it out for a test drive. You’ll want one… not only because you like the price, but because you like the car. It’s understandable how this beautiful sedan had slipped through the cracks. Having limited production numbers,

and with the last to roll off the assembly line on June 15, 2011, it had minimal buyer exposure. Although Buick has long remained near the top of the charts in terms of quality and durability, it seems few have paid attention. Stuck with the impression of being poorly built by younger Americans, Buick has put forth great effort creating a brand that is worthy of praise. Even the Chinese have embraced the brand, marking Buick as a luxury line and making it one of the most sought after vehicles in their culture. However, Buick still has a hill to climb, pegged with the image of an “old person’s car,” fewer shoppers are visiting Buick showrooms these days,

unaware that Buick is now in a new era and on a quest to reclaim a spot as the premium brand. Visually seductive, this stately Buick beats all other large sedan offerings hands down in terms of styling, quality and value, for under the Lucerne’s beautiful wrappings lies the same solid platform as Cadillac’s magnificent DTS. But from there up it’s every-inch-a-Buick, looking distinctively different than any other GM product. And many will tell you that the Lucerne is a better driving car than the Cadillac, which is a result of Buick’s relentless pursuit to isolate the passenger cabin from the outside world by blocking noise paths at

their source through the use of extensive dampening and insulation. Even the windshield and front side glass have a special layer of laminate to help absorb road noise. Buick touts this as t h e i r exc l u s i ve “Quiet Tuning”, which sounds like just another marketing hype, but you have to experience it to appreciate it. It’s a drive in the clouds. The Lucerne glistens with a level of quality that will blow you away, from its close-tolerance body panels and interior trim pieces to its buttery, finelystitched leather. Although the Lucerne is a big car, there’s nothing big about the way it drives. The handling is crisp and nimble, the braking sure. It’s an absolute delight to drive as it graciously accepts all orders from its captain. With a change from the 3.8liter V6 on the 2008 model, the 2011 is powered by GM’s highly acclaimed 3.9-liter V6. Pumping out a desirable 227 horsepower, it delivers acceleration and performance that will satisfy most drivers and earns a respectable 27 mpg highway economy rating under the more stringent and conservative EPA guidelines. These CXL models come well equipped with heated leather

front

bucket seats, and a console shift. Standard features include, 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS, Traction Control, driver and passenger head-curtain sideimpact airbags, a tire pressure monitoring system, a leatherwrapped steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, Home-link, and GM’s OnStar, a comforting travel companion to have aboard on long trips and the most user-friendly navigation system on the planet. Push the Blue button and simply speak your destination, even if you’re lost. A satellite pinpoints your location and a friendly voice guides you with turn-by-turn directions until you get there. Buyers will also enjoy the lion’s share remainder of a 4yr/50,000mile bumper-to-bumper warranty that extends to 5 years and 100,000 miles on the power train. This comprehensive warranty is the best out there amongst premium brands. “With vehicles

lasting m u c h longer than they did in the past, folks tend to get their money’s worth with this wa r r a nt y,” explains Fred Jadidian, a 20 year veteran at Suss. “When you compare other luxury models and the warranty they offer, people will definitely see the savings.” Now is the time to re-introduce yourself to the won’t-let-youdown Buick… And leave all preconceptions you may have at the door. A little wheel time in this premium luxury liner will convince you that maybe you really would rather drive a Buick. Where to find: Suss Buick GMC in Aurora of fers a nice selection of Pre-owned 2011 Lucerne’s in a variety of colors at a starting price of $22,981 with NO dealer handling fees. And trades are always welcomed. Suss Buick GMC is located at 1301 South Havana in Aurora. Sales may be reached 303-306-4001 ©B. Debel 2012 Photo for illustration only #C4147

8A» NEWS

tuesday, june 26, 2012 B denverpost.com B the denver post

Colorado wildfires Impact on the economy

Tourism sector feeling the heat As crews battle multiple blazes, officials fight to assure visitors the state is open for business. By Jason Blevins The Denver Post

All of Colorado is not on fire. But the flames are close to some of the state’s more popular places. Wildfires over the weekend erupted near Manitou Springs — shuttering 10 Pikes Peak-area attractions on Monday, including Cave of the Winds, Garden of the Gods Park and the Pikes Peak Cog Railway — and near Durango, where a decade ago the southwestern corner of the state endured the tourismcrushing Missionary Ridge fire. A relatively short-lived but destructive fire also broke out in Estes Park, while the High Park fire near Fort Collins and several others throughout the state continued to burn. “One day of lost business in the summer can have a big impact because we are so heavily dependent on visitors and visitor spending,” said Roger Miller, chief operating officer of the Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce. He estimates 80 to 90 percent of his town’s economy relies on summer tourism. In both Pikes Peak and Four Corners country, wildfires are making national news while local tourism businesses scramble to counter the flaming images flickering through living rooms across the country. None of the attractions is ablaze. Smoke comes and goes, depending on the winds. Manitou Springs was evacuated over the weekend, and residents were allowed to return to their

BROWN «FROM 4A nearly three years of data, which it must re-create. “I plead mea culpa to not putting that high on my radar screen and refiling these,” he said. “My guess is it’s going to be a year before I can get it all figured out.” Attorneys familiar with IRS regulations said the gun group could be liable for thousands of dollars in back taxes on the contributions it received, but Brown said he doubts that will happen because they are working to resolve the problem. Rocky Mountain Gun Owners collected an average of $84,500 a year in contributions in the most recent years when it did file, IRS records show. On its secretary-of-state filing, Rocky Mountain Gun Owners says its mission is to “defend the right to keep and bear arms from all of its enemies, and advance those God-given rights by educating the people of Colorado.” “We tend to play rough with

homes Sunday night. Colorado 24 heading west to Woodland Park was closed. “If you are in Manitou Springs today, you can’t even tell there’s a fire,” said Miller, whose town sits a few miles from the perimeter of the largely uncontained, 3,400-acre Waldo Canyon blaze. Still, visitors are calling, and some are canceling. “We are telling everyone there has been no structural damage and only about 5 percent of our attractions are closed,” said Chelsy Murphy with the Colorado Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau, which counts the tourism industry as the city’s third-largest employer, responsible for about 14,000 jobs. With June, July and August being the Pikes Peak region’s busiest months, local businesses are working social media outlets to convey their “Still Open” message. The Colorado Springs visitors bureau opened a website (visitcos.com/fire info) to share the latest news about how the fires are impacting tourist attractions. Near Durango, the popular Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad is working hard to protect its canyon route from wildfire, with a helicopter on stand-by and fire patrols following each train. The railroad closed in 2002 during the Missionary Ridge fire. On Saturday, the Leadville Colorado & Southern Railroad canceled its tourist trips because of wildfire. “We’ve been in good shape so far,” said the Durango & Silverton’s general manager Paul Schranck. “So far so good.”

Manitou Springs cash mob planned for Wednesday By Kelsey Fowler The Denver Post

The weekend evacuation of Manitou Springs caused by the Waldo Canyon fire quickly emptied the town, but local shop owners are flipping their window-front signs back to “open” just as fast. To help boost local business, a citywide cash mob is planned for Wednesday. Participants are meeting at noon at Soda Springs Park, 354 Manitou Ave., but people can come anytime throughout the day. Organizers used social media to organize the “Manitou Mob” in the hope of bringing a flood of customers to local

eateries and shops. Colorado Springs Community Alliance director Wendy Carson said the idea began to take shape on Twitter on Monday, after local firefighter Bob Falcone suggested “mobbing” the city to help the businesses that have had their busy tourist season stalled by the fire. Manitou is still in a precarious spot, Carson said, but she believes most stores will be open for business by Wednesday, if they aren’t already. The mandatory evacuation was lifted Sunday night. Carson said people should try to carpool, bike, walk or take the bus to make

the event manageable for the city. The main road into town, U.S. 24, remained closed Monday. “The whole plan is to keep them only positively overwhelmed,” she said. Out-of-towners who want to help by shopping online can find a list of stores at manitousprings.org. The I Love Manitou Springs Facebook page is also keeping an updated list of which businesses are open. To keep up with the crowd, follow #ManitouMob on Twitter. Kelsey Fowler: 303-954-1211 or kfowler@denverpost.com

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those who won’t answer a written survey on a constitutional issue,” Brown recently said on a Facebook site. Brown’s tacState Rep. Jim Kerr, R-Little- tics over the years have anton gered his targets, including state Rep. Jim Kerr, R-Littleton, who lost his attempt last year to be appointed to a vacant state Senate seat. He said Brown distorted his gun record. Kerr said it’s no surprise that the group would fail to file tax records for three straight years. “Dudley Brown lives in his own universe and thinks he can play by his own rules,” Kerr said. “He’s reprehensible. The guy’s a butt.” Brown said he has never said the rules don’t apply to him, but he added with a laugh that the “rules that Jim Kerr make up don’t apply to me.”

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Frayed electric line sparked Estes fire By Sarah Simmons The Denver Post

Larimer County Sheriff’s investigators Office have determined that the Woodland Heights fire in Estes Park was caused by an electrical line rubbing against a pine tree. According to a sheriff’s news release, the electrical line is believed to have caused the 27.3acre fire, was located on private

property on Larkspur Drive. Investigators do not think that the fire was the result of a criminal act. The fire, now 100 percent contained, destroyed 22 homes and two outbuildings. Residents in the area were allowed to return home after noon on Monday.

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Breaking news: Updates on the conditions and efforts to fight Colorado’s wildfires . »denverpost.com

COLORADO WILDFIRES

STATE OF ALARM FLAGSTAFF “Extreme” blaze threatens Boulder

WALDO CANYON Thousands flee residential neighborhoods

300 acres | 0% containment

6,200 acres | 5% containment

The Waldo Canyon fire roars through a neighborhood in the hills above Colorado Springs on Tuesday. An untold number of homes were destroyed. Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post By Jeremy P. Meyer The Denver Post

COLORADO PRIMARY

REP. LAMBORN SEEMS HEADED FOR VICTORY U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn appears to be on his way to another term. »primary results, 8A

Full results denverpost.com/politics

DENVER & THE WEST

ANOTHER 105-DEGREE DENVER DAY Denver’s temperature soared to 105 degrees again on Tuesday, tying a record for consecutive days of triple-digit heat. »4A

A three-day-old wildfire erupted with catastrophic fury Tuesday, ripping across the foothills neighborhoods of Colorado Springs, devouring an untold number of homes and sending tens of thousands fleeing to safety in what was shaping up as one of the biggest disasters in state history. “This is a firestorm of epic proportions,” said Colorado Springs Fire Chief Richard Brown. The Waldo Canyon fire in El Paso County — which had been growing in the forested hills on the city’s west side — blew into an inferno late in the afternoon, raging over a ridge toward densely populated neighborhoods.

LAST CHANCE FIRE

“It’s something Mother Nature throws at you, and you just deal with it and move on.” By John Ingold The Denver Post

An apocalyptic plume of smoke covered Colorado’s second-largest city as thousands of people forced to evacuate clogged Interstate 25 at rush hour trying to get to their homes or to get out of the way. By nightfall, roughly 32,000 people left their homes, chased out by the flames. “We have homes burning right now,” El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa said shortly before 9 p.m. The sheriff was among those forced from their homes by the fire. “This is a very bad day,” said Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach. As the fire continued to grow, all of northwest Colorado Springs was ordered evacuated, including the Air Force Academy. “People are freaking out,” said Kathleen Tillman, who drove up I-25 from Pueblo to her house in northern Colorado Springs. “You are

ONLINE Maps: View perimeter maps of the Waldo Canyon, High Park and Weber wildfires. »denverpost.com

Assistance: How to help the victims. »denverpost.com/howtohelp

Air quality: Learn more about Front Range air quality in the wake of the fires. »blogs.denverpost.com/health

INSIDE High Park: Firefighters begin to demobilize from area. »10A

FIRE » 10A

last chance» There used to be a motel here. A homey cafe, two auto garages, a gas station and a Dairy King, too. When a wildfire marauded into Last Chance on Monday — en route to destroying four homes and charring 70 square miles in Washington County in half a day — it discovered that the passage of time had already done most of the work for it. The bustle and the businesses that once made the town a necessary stop on the plains, about an hour east of Denver, have long since gone. Many of the structures that burned in town had already been abandoned. But to focus on the buildings in Last Chance misses the point. For the community still quite alive here, the fire damaged something much more precious. “We were already short of water,” said Mike Quint, who has ranched near Last Chance his whole life. “Now we’re short of grass.” LAST » 12A

10A» NEWS

wednesday, june 27, 2012 B denverpost.com B the denver post

FIRE «FROM 1A

WALDO CANYON FIRE

Thousand flee flames Whole northwest quarter of Colorado Springs evacuated

A traffic jam of cars heading north on Interstate 25 are enveloped by an orange haze of smoke in the north and west areas of Colorado Springs. The Waldo Canyon fire exploded Tuesday afternoon, forcing more than 10,000 people to evacuate their homes. Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post

FLYING J RANCH burned down

W ing Trailblazer Fly Elementary School

Direction of fire

MANDATORY EVACUATION AREA

St .

COLORADO SPRINGS

The Waldo Canyon fire exploded Tuesday afternoon, forcing thousands of people to evacuate as smoke covered the northwest part of the city.

Chipeta Elementary School

35,000 people evacuated in Waldo Canyon fire

N. 3

colorado springs» Tens of thousands of people fled the neighborhoods north and west of the city after the Waldo Canyon fire unleashed waves of flames late Tuesday afternoon. Showers of ash fell as traffic gridlocked on Interstate 25 and all major eastbound roadways, clogged full of evacuees and fire equipment. Witnesses flooded the Internet on Twitter, describing the scene as “an apocalypse” and “terrifying” and posting photos of the city wrapped in a sinister orange and black cloud. The evacuations covered the entire area north of Garden of the Gods and west of I-25, including Pinon Valley, Rockrimmon and Woodmen valley, home to thousands of residents. The Pine Valley housing area south of the Air Force Academy was evacuated and, about 7:30 p.m., more of the academy itself was ordered evacuated. Jared Baker needed to get back to his Rockrimmon home to fetch his mother and grandmother, who don’t drive and are on oxygen. Police told him he had to wait as the stream of evacuees drove by at the intersection of Woodmen Road and Corporate Center. “I’m just trying to remain as calm as possible. I know others are in the same situation and I am trying to remain calm.” Farther away, Belinda Brown, 35, pulled over and video-recorded the horizon, where more than a dozen flames were visible.

Ra nc hR d.

By Kurtis Lee and Erin Udell The Denver Post

Centennial Blvd.

Denver Post staff writers Kurtis Lee, Tom McGhee, Erin Udell and the Boulder Daily Camera contributed to this report.

Ryan Kent, 6, left, and Caden Manes, 8, watch as air support rushes in to suppress the Waldo Canyon fire, which exploded in the late afternoon hours, fueled by winds and record high temperatures. Houses were engulfed in flames as evening arrived. Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post

Rd. anch gWR Flyin

driving through smoke. It is completely pitch black, and there is tons of ash dropping on the road.” At the same time the fire in Colorado Springs was erupting with a new fury, a lightning-sparked wildfire in Boulder blew up in the tinder-dry forest above the city. The Flagstaff fire grew in minutes to an estimated 228 acres and sent a smoke column over Boulder Valley. Twenty-six homes were evacuated, and residents of more than 2,000 homes in south Boulder were told to be ready to flee as the fire crept one ridge away from coming into the city. Fire crews assembled at Fairview High School in case the wildfire burned into the city. “This is the structure-protection plan,” said Jeff Long, battalion chief for Boulder Fire Rescue. “We are staying here in case it takes a turn for the worse. As long as the city is threatened, we’ll be here.” It is a scenario that firefighting officials have feared as the conditions continued to get worse over the past week. Scorching temperatures have baked the Front Range for several days as thousands of firefighters on the ground and more than 100 planes and helicopters have been battling more than eight wildfires across the state. Denver tied a record with its fifth straight day of temperatures of at least 100 degrees, and weather in the 90s is expected to continue for several days even as officials hoped that seasonal subtropical moisture would eventually creep into the region and bring much-needed rain. While Colorado Springs and Boulder took over the headlines, crews working on the High Park fire west of Fort Collins was measured at 87,250 acres with still 55 percent containment. That fire, the most destructive in state history, has torched at least 257 homes, nine more than previously thought. Conditions are dry throughout the state. Even a fire near Last Chance on the Eastern Pains blew up to 45,000 acres in just eight hours. But as darkness arrived, it was clear that the biggest fight in the state was in Colorado Springs, where ghostly orange flames rose across the city’s western edge. Gov. John Hickenlooper arrived in Colorado Springs late Tuesday. “The bottom line is we’re just going to have to work through this — all of us,” Hickenlooper said. “We just flew over the fires. ... It was like looking at a military invasion.” Wind gusts of 65 mph and the hottest day on record for Colorado Springs — the high hit 101 degrees — proved to be an explosive combination for the Waldo Canyon fire, which until Tuesday had not touched a structure. “I’ve seen a lot of fires, but I have never seen one move this quickly,” Sheriff Maketa said. By early evening, the website for the Flying W Ranch, a Western-themed attraction west of Garden of the Gods, announced that it had “burned to the ground.” “Please keep us in your thoughts and those whose homes are close to us,” an official of the Flying W Ranch said in an e-mail.

Garden of the Gods Rd. Severiano Galván, The Denver Post

“My house is right over there,” she said pointing toward a bright blot of flame. Military police evacuated her and family about one hour ago. Her husband is in the Army and recently returned from Iraq. They just moved into a home in Pine Valley. They have flood insurance but no fire coverage. “We moved here and this happened.” She is going to a friend’s house. The Econo Lodge on Kelly Johnson Drive was filled, with half of the guests refugees, said clerk Matt Bayer.

A firefighting helicopter flies above the Flagstaff fire west of Boulder on Tuesday. Colorado has endured nearly a week of 100-plus-degree days and low humidity, sapping moisture from timber and grass and creating a devastating formula for volatile wildfires across the state. The forecast for Wednesday called for temperatures in the high 90s. Jeremy Papasso, Daily Camera

His home is safe, but his parents who have been evacuated from their home near Mountain Shadows subdivision. If it burns, “that would be devastating.” Two new shelters for evacuated people was being opened at the Southeast YMCA Family Center, 2190 Jet Wing Drive and at Lewis Palmer High School 1300 Higby Road, Monument. Fort Carson was providing housing for evacuees from the Air Force Academy. Denver Post staff writer Tom McGhee contributed to this report.

National Guard keeps close eye on High Park fire By Kieran Nicholson and Tegan Hanlon The Denver Post

fort collins» Since June 11, Colorado National Guard Spec. Eric Hatch and Cadet Cashius Flink have rotated in seven-hour shifts every day at the High Park fire. The two man the roadblocks set up around the fire zone — checking the IDs of evacuated residents returning to their homes. As residents head home and firefighters near the end of their two weeks on the job, morale remains high, and appreciation for personnel working on the fire appears to bubble out of not only many outdoor business and man-made signs, but also the evacuees. “The best part is the drive back,” said Flink, 23. Crowds of Larimer County residents have lined Overland Trail, waving signs of thanks as the firefighter shifts change. This is also the place many came to watch the fire when it broke out June 9. Now the fire is estimated at 87,250 acres with 55 percent containment. It has destroyed at least 257 homes. About 1,900 people were working on the fire Tuesday. The number of firefighters is being ratcheted down, said incident commander Beth Lund. “We will demobilize a bit,” she said. “We are feeling cautiously optimistic.”

Colorado Springs police officer Willam Farrow directs traffic off of Centennial Boulevard on Tuesday. Residents of the Lower Mountain Shadows subdivision had to evacuate the neighborhood in northwest Colorado Springs. Karl Gehring, The Denver Post

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THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012

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COLORADO WILDFIRES | 7 PAGES OF COVERAGE INSIDE

HILLS OF SORROW WALDO CANYON Aerial photo shows 300 homes are lost

FLAGSTAFF Wind hinders attempts at containment

18,500 acres | 5% containment

230 acres | 0% containment

Homes and hills above Colorado Springs smolder Wednesday. The Waldo Canyon fire has left tens of thousands of residents homeless. Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post By Jeremy P. Meyer and Sara Burnett The Denver Post

MANAGING THE RESOURCES

Tens of thousands of people remained homeless in Colorado Springs on Wednesday, fixated on the smoky hills as the weather helped slow a Waldo Canyon fire that left a stunning path of destruction in its wake. An aerial photograph of the Mountain Shadows neighborhood that was taken Wednesday showed approximately 300 homes, all of them inside the Colorado Springs city limits, reduced to charred rubble. Colorado Springs authorities would not confirm exact numbers, saying they were still making assessments and devising a way to convey the information to affected homeowners.

Lakewood agency puts boot on ground for West’s wildfires By John Ingold The Denver Post

One of destroyed homes belonged to Ted Stefani and his wife, Kate. He learned its fate when he picked up The Denver Post on Wednesday. There, in the lower left corner of a front page photograph was his five-bedroom home, obscured by trees and fully engulfed in flames. “It’s a good and bad thing,” he said. “It’s bad, because our house is gone. “But at least we know.” The blaze, one of nine major wildfires burning in Colorado, continued to attract national attention Wednesday. The White House announced that President Barack Obama would visit the area Friday, when he is expected to tour the damaged neighborhoods and thank firefighters. The blaze’s cause was not known Wednesday, and the FBI joined the investigation, which was

“These poor guys are fighting their hearts out. They keep saying they will defend the houses ...” Seth and Laurie Grotelueschen sat for hours in a field near the U.S. Air Force Academy airfield, watching fire creep through the Peregrine neighborhood at the base of Blodgett Peak. Using a police scanner, they listened as fire crews moved from house to house, recording addresses as they were called out. They heard a neighbor’s address, then the

news that a flame front was approaching and then crews being ordered to flee. “These poor guys are fighting their hearts out,” Seth said as fierce winds kicked up, the sky darkened and the view disappeared. “They keep saying they will defend the houses ...” »read more stories of the fire, 6a

WALDO » 8A

lakewood» When a lightning strike grew into a blaze that threatened to roast Boulder on Tuesday, the wildfire chessmasters at the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center knew exactly the crew to put on the emergency. It was the same crew that had just walked in the door a half-hour earlier. The center, based in Lakewood, is charged with managing wildfire resources for five Western states — ensuring that people and equipment are sent where they are needed immediately but not stretched too thin in spots where they might be needed later. To do that, the center’s staff matches wits with the flames, trying to predict where they will erupt next and how fast they will grow before the glow of the first ember. Last week, after assessing the likelihood that FIRE » 11A

ONLINE

INSIDE

Maps: View perimeter maps of Colorado’s active wildfires. »denverpost.com/wildfires Assistance: How to help the victims of the wildfires. »denverpost.com/howtohelp

Insurance: Wildfires likely to raise insurance rates for homeowners in future years. »11A Flagstaff:Firefighters worked to build fire breaks along the Shanahan Ridge. »9A

6A» NEWS

thursday, june 28, 2012 B denverpost.com B the denver post

“It’s in our neighborhood” Denver Post staff reports

As the Waldo Canyon fire burned out of control Wednesday, stories emerged of harrowing escapes from the flames, heartbreaking realizations that homes were gone forever, and heroic efforts by residents of Colorado Springs to help their besieged neighbors. Here are some of those stories: Brian Holcombe was talking on a cellphone with his wife when she got the news

that the flames had crossed over the Flying W Ranch, no more than 50 yards from their home. “She just fell to the floor and she was crying out, it was just so devastating. She said it’s in our neighborhood, it’s in our neighborhood, Brian. It is on Majestic.” Thirty minutes later, someone from their burglar alarm company called to say the alarm in their home on Majestic Drive had gone off, a sign that windows had broken. The home they moved into six years ago might still be standing, but Holcomb doubts it survived the Waldo Canyon inferno gobbling homes in Colorado Springs. Among the small items of incalculable worth that the Holcombes wish they had taken from the house is a box filled with notes they exchanged while courting. Miracles happen, Holcombe said, but he doesn’t expect divine intercession. “It never occurred to us that that was going to be the last time we saw our house.” Jacki Grad and her family moved into their home in the Peregrine area a little more than a year ago. Saturday, her family was put on pre-evacuation notice and she packed their belongings. When they were told to evacuate Tuesday evening, they were ready. “When I went out to the car, ash was falling, and it was glowing orange,” Grad said. She said she drove about a quarter mile to a stop sign — and then sat there for about 45 minutes before traffic began heading down the mountain. While people were concerned and in a hurry to evacuate, they remained polite, she said. It took several hours to complete a drive that usually takes seven minutes. “I kept looking back to see if the flames were behind us,” Grad said. “When we reached I-25, I looked at the mountain and saw orange balls of homes burning. That’s when it turned dire.” Grad and her family drove to Denver to get a hotel room, but everywhere they went was booked. She said she was told the closest available room was in Fort Collins. After spending the night in the shelter at Lewis Palmer High School in Monument, Grad awoke to a fire that had doubled in size. She feels confident that her home survived the night, but on Wednesday she stared at the plumes of smoke rising off the mountain. “Today’s winds are concerning,” Grad said. “Clearly our community will be changed forever. The question is are you going to be able to go back to something.” The Rodriguez family’s truck could barely hold all the food it was carrying. Carts of milk and juice were buried under layers of canned goods, bread and snack food. Lorena Rodriguez, her husband and three sons eagerly unloaded the food at the Red Cross shelter at the Southeast YMCA. “It’s too sad. Some people worked so hard and now they’ve lost everything,” Rodriguez said. “This time it’s someone else — we could be the next ones.” The Rodriguez family decided to help earlier Wednesday morning while they were eating breakfast together. From their kitchen table they went door-to-door in their Colorado Springs neighborhood collecting whatever they could. Few people turned them away. “I’m so proud of our community,” Rodriguez said. Aaron Winter, manager of the Flying W Ranch that burned down near Colorado Springs, didn’t choke up when talking about the loss of the historic ranch on Tuesday. But he did when talking about the local law enforcement officers carrying out evacuations in the ranch area that includes a foothills subdivision. “You’re out there with those dust devils swirling around. You’re getting hit in the eyes with ash. You’re coughing because there is so much smoke. But you can get in your vehicles and roll up the windows. Then you realize what those cops are going through. They are out there with little masks on, waving their arms in the thick smoke, trying to get everybody out of there safely.” His voice cracked before he continued. “I give props to those cops. What they are doing is amazing.”

Surrounded by family belongings, Taylor Salamon, 11, and his dog get ready to rush from their home, which was in the path of the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs on Tuesday. RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post Ardene Hagadorn remembers barreling smoke right before she fled her home on Garden of the Gods Road. “I watched the smoke build at work all day,” Hagadorn said. “When I got home, it all turned into a whirlwind right then.” Hagadorn packed what she could. Before she left, two officials had stopped by her home and told her that “she had to leave now.” She went to a grocery store parking lot and called her mother. It took her hours to get out of the lot and to the shelter in Monument. “It’s all scary and unbelievable,” she said. “But I’m here and we’re safe. Everything else can be replaced.” Hagadorn did not know how close the fire got to her home overnight. Ray Olvera did not think the flames would move over the ridge toward his home. Tuesday night when he looked out his window, he could not believe how close they were. “The flames jumped the ridge and were heading right toward us,” Olvera said. “At that point it became an ‘Oh my God moment.” He packed what he could.

“By the time I closed the hatch of my car it was black, pouring smoke and ash everywhere,” he said. When he broke loose from the stop-and-go traffic on I-25, he drove to the shelter in Monument where he spent the night. Mari Crannell drove from her home in Fountain to volunteer at the Red Cross shelter at the Southeast YMCA Family Center in Colorado Springs. Crannell said she felt blessed that her son made it home from a campsite last weekend that was dangerously close to the fire. “I have to help,” Crannell said, as she unloaded diapers from the back of a truck. Crannell was at the shelter Tuesday night as evacuees began to arrive. When she returned to the shelter to check in with the families Wednesday morning, some had learned that their homes were destroyed, but most were still waiting for news. “The not knowing is hardest for everyone,” Crannell said. Wednesday, Crannell was with a woman when she found a photo of her charred home on the Internet. It was the first time the woman had learned her house had been de-

Residents fleeing the Waldo Canyon fire Tuesday clog both sides of Woodmen Road, which was closed to westbound traffic to ease evacuation. On Wednesday, the fire doubled in size, prompting officials to put it under “unified command,” but with federal authorities in control. More than 1,000 firefighters were working to contain the 18,500-acre blaze. Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post

stroyed. “I gave her a big hug,” Crannell said. “I held her hand while she got the help she needed.” In addition to her time, Crannell donated coolers, snacks and helped assemble food boxes for evacuees and firefighters. The community response has been overwhelming, Crannell said. “I think our community is extremely strong. There’s been an outpouring of support I’ve never seen before.” Sandra Fales wipes away tears as she pulls out clothes for her three children from the trunk of her car. Fales and her children spent the night at the Red Cross shelter set up at the Southeast YMCA last night. After watching the fire for hours, Fales was ordered to evacuate around 11 p.m. “I watched it roll down the hill as it took out everything,” she said. “The flames just took it all out.” Fales lives in the west side of the city, off Fillmore Street. She said she does not know whether her home survived the night, but she’s not holding out hope. “I’m just trying to compose myself before I go back inside to my kids,” Fales said. “It’s going to be 50 questions, and I don’t have the answers.” She said today is her 3-year-old daughter’s birthday. Mark Stanislawski holds his wife, Lucretia, as she cries, trembling as she recalls Tuesday night’s evacuation from their home. “Horrifying. It was absolutely terrifying watching those flames,” Lucretia said. The two live in the Rockrimmon area and were ordered to evacuate shortly before 5 p.m. They spent Tuesday night in the Southeast YMCA Family Center. While she was driving south on I-25, Stanislawski watched the sky darken as she approached her home. “It got blacker and blacker. When I got home, it was pitch black and ash and embers were flying everywhere,” she said. She could not call her husband because the smoke was so heavy it was clogging cellphone service. Within 17 minutes of arriving home, Stanislawski was out the door again with whatever she could pack. “There were just flames, flames, flames,” she said. Denver Post staff writers Jordan Steffen, Kirk Mitchell, Tom McGhee, Ryan Parker, Nancy Lofholm and Jeremy Meyer contributed to this report

Wildfire team A team of Denver Post journalists is covering Colorado’s wildfires: • Staff writers Jason Blevins, Jennifer Brown, Sara Burnett, Eric Gorski, Tegan Hanlon, Tim Hoover, John Ingold, Kurtis Lee, Nancy Lofholm, Tom McGhee, Jeremy P. Meyer, Kirk Mitchell, Kieran Nicholson, David Olinger, Howard Pankratz, Ryan Parker, Steve Raabe, Sarah Simmons, Kevin Simpson, Jordan Steffen, Erin Udell and Andy Vuong • Staff photographers Hyoung Chang, Andy Cross, Mahala Gaylord, Karl Gehring, Eric Lutzens, Steve Nehf, AAron Ontiveroz, Helen H. Richardson, Heather Rousseau and RJ Sangosti

the denver post B denverpost.com B thursday, june 28, 2012

Historic ranch among victims of raging blaze

Cash is king in aid of Waldo Canyon fire victims

• El Paso County Sheriff’s Office: Large-animal shelter at Norris-Penrose Equestrian Center needs volunteers: 719-520-7773. People are eager to help the thousands of • Pikes Peak Red Cross donations can be made people affected by the Waldo Canyon fire at pparc.org. burning in Colorado Springs. Please do not • Goodwill donations can be made at bring donations to shelters or command posts unless an official request is logged at discovermygoodwill.org . inciweb.org. Here are some places seeking • The Red Cross in Colorado Springs is at 719volunteers and financial assistance. More 632-3563. Those wanting to donate money to the Red Cross can go do so at redcross.org. resources for evacuees are available at • Colorado Springs World Arena will serve as a denverpost.com: drop-off point for donations of food (including

NEWS «7A

canned tuna, peanut butter, protein bars and boxed meals) and personal-care items (including shaving cream, razors, deodorant and shampoo): 719-477-2100 • Waldo Canyon fire evacuees are encouraged to register as “safe and well” with the Red Cross program at safeandwell.org. Additionally, people worried about their loved ones can search for their names — and those of anyone evacuated from a Colorado wildfire zone — at the site.

Flying W Ranch was a Colorado Springs fixture for 60 years. By Nancy Lofholm The Denver Post

In the 60 years the Flying W Ranch northwest of Colorado Springs has been serving chuck wagon dinners to paying guests, there have been minor catastrophes like rattlesnakes curled up in the biscuit-warming oven, raccoons scavenging through the kitchen and a rock fireplace falling into the barbecued meat. Rains have washed out roads and winds have turned gatherings topsy-turvy. Those annoyances are now fond remembrances that guests, workers and owners are looking back on as they deal with what is believed to be the complete destruction of the historic and iconic ranch. The Waldo Canyon fire roared over a nearby ridge at 50 mph Tuesday and devoured the tall pines and reportedly the ranch buildings nestled among them. “We are devastated, just devastated,” said Aaron Winter, manager of the ranch and one of those who began moving antiques and horses out of harm’s way as the fire threat grew Saturday and then on Tuesday “busted through” livestock gates so that cattle could escape as the fire bore down. The ranch that burned this week got its start as a tourist destination in 1953 when the late owner Marian Wolfe served campfire dinners to augment traditional ranching operations. What began with 11 guests grew to more than 1,000 nightly visitors during the summer season, making the Flying W an important tourist attraction in the Pikes Peak region. Its importance to visitors far and wide and its steady attraction to generations was underscored Wednesday when fans of the historic ranch expressed their sadness in modern terms on Facebook. “Thank-U 4 serving this community! I know that U’ll B able to rebuild & B even better than U were B4,” wrote Emily Binion. The ranch is still owned by Marian’s husband, Russ Wolfe, 87, and his three daughters. From May to October the ranch features outdoor chuck wagon suppers and down-home entertainment from the Flying W Wranglers, a group billed as the world’s second oldest cowboy band. The ranch had a frontier town where visitors could watch horse-shoeing or Navaho rug-weaving. It had a wedding chapel, a Picketwire Saloon and a winter season steakhouse that was in a historic theater Russ Wolfe bought from downtown Colorado Springs and pieced together at the ranch in the 1960s. The ranch had sold off some large acreages over the years, including 800 acres to the developers of the Mountain Shadows neighborhood, where homes burned in the fire Tuesday. “The Flying W can be rebuilt. But our neighbors in Mountain Shadows losing their homes — that’s what breaks our hearts,” Winter said. Winter said he hasn’t found a way to help those homeowners yet, but the Flying W did find a way to aid fire victims in the Eastern Plains town of Ordway in 2008. The ranch sent two buses to pick up those whose homes had burned in the devastating fire that tore through the town killing two firefighters and destroying two dozen homes. The ranch treated them to a chuck wagon dinner, entertainment and a night in a hotel. Now, the Flying W is on the receiving end as droves of employees and friends showed up at the ranch over the weekend and helped to load up and store ranch property. Thousands of ranch patrons

“The Flying W can be rebuilt. But our neighbors in Mountain Shadows losing their homes – that’s what breaks our hearts.” Aaron Winter, manager of the ranch

and fans are offering to help. Before the fire, the ranch had about 2,000 Facebook fans. Wednesday it had more than 8,000. Those fans virtually cheered ranch-style resilience when the Flying W Wednesday posted a picture of a 60-year-old truck that had been saved from the fire and will be in the Pikes Peak Rodeo Parade July 10 with the Flying W Wranglers singing from the back end. “Way to cowboy up,” said one post. Another exalted, “Yeehaw. Take that, wildfire.” The Flying W plans to have a phone connection back up in several days and to start refunding reservation money for the chuck wagon dinners, weddings, corporate retreats and family reunions that had filled its summer calendar.

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Nancy Lofholm: 970-256-1957 or nlofholm@denverpost.com

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8A» NEWS

thursday, june 28, 2012 B denverpost.com B the denver post

the denver post B denverpost.com B thursday, june 28, 2012

NEWS «9A

“The flames just took it all out.”

An aerial photograph taken Wednesday of the Waldo Canyon fire in Colorado Springs shows the destructive path of the fire. See additional aerial photographs at denverpost.com/mediacenter. John Warrk, johnwark.com

HIGH PARK FIRE LITTLE SAND FIRE

WOODLAND PARK Mandatory evacuation area

Rampart Reservoir

Academy D Wednesday total burn area: Air Force Academy 15,517 acres

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Centennial Blvd.

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Flying W Ranch

CASCADECHIPITA PARK

COLORADO 70

Denver

EL PASO COUNTY

Tuesday burn area

1 mile

MANITOU SPRINGS

Garden of the Gods Rd. Garden of the Gods

COLORADO SPRINGS

. ve aA

Detail area

Mandatory evacuation area

in its earliest stages. The four-day-old fire that had grown to 18,500 acres smoldered throughout Wednesday, but cloud cover and shade from the smoke kept ground temperatures cooler than on previous days. Firefighters had a containment line around about 5 percent of the burned area. Late-afternoon winds fed by a nearby thunderstorm sent firefighters running for safety in the hillside neighborhoods they were protecting. But those gusts, which reached at least 20 mph, did not blow the fire into anything like the catastrophic event that terrorized the city Tuesday. “There was smoldering going on up and down that ridge,” said Charlie Drennan, division chief of operations for the Denver Fire Department, one of 13 fire departments from around the region that were helping out on the fire. Drennan’s engine crew worked all night and day protecting homes in the Peregrine subdivision — hoses plugged into fire hydrants, snuffing out flare-ups and watching the wind. Anxious homeowners who had been ushered out of their homes the day before sat in their cars in a parking lot east of Interstate 25 with a view of their neighborhood, watching as smoke billowed and trees caught fire around it and listening to emergency-radio traffic on a scanner. “I’m just hoping nobody dies,” said Seth Grotelueschen, listening as a Denver engine company protecting his home was ordered to leave in the face of a wall of flames.

About 32,000 people remained out of their homes Wednesday, and new evacuations were ordered in Teller County. Several neighborhoods in El Paso County were placed on pre-evacuation orders as fire managers closely watched the forecast. Sandra Fales wiped away tears Wednesday morning as she pulled clothes for her three children from the trunk of her car. She and her children spent the night at the Red Cross shelter at the Southeast YMCA . After watching the fire for hours, Fales was ordered to evacuate around 11 p.m. Tuesday. “I watched it roll down the hill as it took out everything,” Fales said. “The flames just took it all out.” In a neighborhood north of the Air Force Academy, families raced to pack up their cars afternoon after hearing that they should be prepared to flee. The fire was still about 5 miles away, but the wind was blowing north. “I’m just taking anything that is irreplaceable, photos, baby books,” said Julie Gwisdalla as she loaded her SUV. “It’s pretty scary to think your home is going to burn up.” For Stefani, an Army surgeon who returned from Afghanistan a month ago, the loss of his home came after a horrific time in which he fled the flames. He was watching a televised news conference Tuesday about the fire when he noticed leaves rustling in the wind. He walked up the street to get a view of the mountain behind his home and saw flames a mile away and moving fast. With his wife and son in Denver, he rushed back to get their dog and pack some essential items: the title to their car, computer hard drives, birth certificates, some of his items from Iraq and Afghanistan, a baby blanket and clothes.

Pik

WALDO «FROM 1A

The Denver Post

Two new, smaller blazes break b out south of 22,400-acre fire blaze near n Pagosa Springs Firefighters managing the 22,400-acre fire burning in inaccessible terrain north of the Piedra River near Pagosa Springs say a lightning storm sparked er Tuesday afternoon. One turned out at least two new fires south of the rive to be a single log on fire. They expecte ed to find more Wednesday as the day fe trails and campgrounds, and the warmed. There are few closures — a few road to Poison Park — because of the fire, f although residents near the fire in Archuleta, La Plata, Hinsdale, Mineral, Rio Grande and Conejos counties could experience heavy smoke when tthe fire is active.

TREASURE FIRE

Hand crews work building g lines near treeline The 320-acre fire burning 5 miles norttheast of Leadville in Birdseye Gulch is about 10 percent contained. There are a 125 people working to build fire lines near treeline. Incident command der Chris Naccarato said good progress is being made on the south. Helicopters are helping by bringing water pots on the fire that has burned since both to hydrate crews and to hit hot sp Saturday. The blaze is thought to be hu uman caused. Naccarato told Leadville Today that fire danger in the areaa has “gone to extreme. We are at levels we have never seen before.”

Residents back, crews diligent in “mop-up” stage By Tegan Hanlon The Denver Post

As residents return to the High Park fire area, more than 1,800 fire personnel remain diligent — checking for hot spots and reassessing fire lines. The fire, sparked by lightning June 9, has scorched 87,284 acres and destroyed 257 homes. One woman died in her Old Flowers Road home on the first day of the fire. High Park is 75 percent contained and could be completely contained by July 15. Despite dry conditions — and the eighth day with consecutive red flag warning — U.S. Forest Service spokesman Jake Brollier said the fire crews are officially in the “mop-up” stage of the fire that has so far cost $33.5 million to

fight. This means firefighters are using shovels and Pulaski tools to turn over the soil where infrared equipment has detected heat. Back burning continues up the mountainside. “They’re using the good old elbow grease,” Brollier said. Evacuations were lifted for residents in Glacier View Meadows — except for the 12th filing — at 5 p.m. Wednesday. The High Park fire leaped over the Cache la Poudre River on Friday, scorching 57 homes in the Glacier View/ Hewlett Gulch area. The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office sent out more than 700 notifications to residents in Rist Canyon saying they can can return to their homes Thursday at 5 p.m.

“It’s always good to have some good news,” said Nick Christensen, executive officer of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office. Personnel count at the High Park fire will decrease, as firefighters follow their two-weeks-on, two-days-off schedule. Incident commander Beth Lund said about eight helicopters and tankers and at least 10 fire crews have been sent to the Waldo Canyon and Flagstaff fires. “We feel very secure about what we still have on the fire here,” she said. Firefighter Scott Leffler, 30, completed his two weeks at the High Park fire Wednesday and began his 2½-day drive to central Nevada. Leffler said he’s ready to relax and rejoin his 8-year-old daughter, whom he hasn’t spoken to in eight

days due to unreliable cellphone service. On his last shift, Leffler dug a trench for water drainage near the Buckhorn Ranger Station. “It’s routine,” Leffler said of his 14- to 16-hour shifts. Leffler joined more than 150 firefighters at the firefighter camp, Buckhorn Spike, near the Buckhorn Ranger Station. Four of these camps are set up around the fire zone to shrink the daily work commute. At times in the beginning of the fire, Leffler said flames creeped close to the campsite. “It’s just in a day’s work,” he said. Tegan Hanlon: 303-954-1729 or thanlon@denverpost.com

WEBER FIRE Embers and ash began falling and thick smoke covered the driveway. While he packed, his wife called. “I can’t talk,” he said. “I need to load the car.” His brief and rushed tone worried her. “I don’t scare easily,” he said. “My wife knows that. I was in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I saw a lot of trauma there. But I sounded rattled.” On Tuesday night, the enormity of what had happened to him and his wife hit hard. They had to go and buy copies of the two books they read to their son each night, “Goodnight Moon” and “Pat the Bunny.” And they had to replace his favorite teddy bear that makes a noise when it’s

squeezed. When their son squeezed the bear’s belly and they heard that familiar sound, “that was pretty emotional. We both cried.” He said he feels lucky because he has insurance and an Army community that cares about him and his family. They are now looking for a new place to live and hope to lease something within a week. “Then, it’s starting over from scratch.” Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com Denver Post staff writers Kurtis Lee, Tom McGhee, Jordan Steffen and Erin Udell contributed to this report.

Blaze 30% contained, blam med on target practice Growth on the Weber fire burning neaar Mancos pushed closer to U.S. 160, but the now 9,155 acre blaze remained within firelinesWednesday morning. d. It may take a few days for the 500 The fire is now 30 percent contained firefighters to complete their work an nd begin mopping up the blaze. No structures have been destroyed but b about 120 people remain evacuated. Protection work is focused on com mmunication towers at the north end of the fire that serve the entire region.. “Rough terrain, unpredictable weather, and heavy, dry fuels have maade this a hard fought battle,” incident commander Joe Lowe said. i But La Plata County Officially, the cause remains under investigation. emergency preparedness director Buttch Knowlton said Monday said a bullet fired during target practice rico ocheted off a rock and sparked the fire. e Durango Herald she is feeling better Mancos resident Julie Desm told the about the fire. “It will be another coup ple of weeks, and even those couple of weeks won’t be anything to worry abo out,” she said, “except for those guys working it.”

FL AGSTAFF FIRE

Pre-evacuation orders lifted, but blaze still burning west of Boulder By Mitchell Byars and Erica Meltzer Daily Camera

boulder» Officials on Wednesday evening lifted pre-evacuation notices that had been issued the day before to south Boulder residents as the Flagstaff fire burned toward the city. “A combination of more favorable weather conditions and the effectiveness of firefighting efforts has decreased concern for the Flagstaff fire to

move into the city of Boulder neighborhoods,” city officials said in a statement. “The fire is now estimated to be 30 percent contained. However, the city encourages residents to continue to be on alert if conditions change.” The fire continued to burn west of Boulder on Wednesday as firefighters worked to build fire breaks along the Shanahan Ridge neighborhood. The blaze was estimated at 230 acres, and more than 250 firefighters were

working to keep it from creeping into the city’s southern neighborhoods. Lightning accompanying an afternoon rain sparked at least four small blazes, but all were quickly controlled. Earlier, Jeremy Desautels, who was staying with his parents in the Shanahan Ridge neighborhood, said fire crews asked them to move wood furniture away from their home. “They asked if they could cut down spruce trees if they needed to, and we

said, ‘Of course,’ ” Desautels said. “It’s pretty surreal when firefighters are knocking on your back door at 8 p.m. That gets your attention.” Richard Kantz, who lives near the Shanahan Ridge trailhead off Lehigh Road, said he appreciated what the firefighters were doing to defend his neighborhood. “It sounds like the city is trying to make a line of defense,” he said. “I feel like the response has been very good.”

10A» NEWS

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MOUNTAIN SHADOWS

Nice day turns terrifying By Ryan Parker and Kirk Mitchell The Denver Post

Jeffrey Lucas, a resident of the Mountain Shadows area in Colorado Springs for all of his 23 years, knew a simple truth Wednesday — his family’s home was gone. And he believed the neighborhood tucked into the foothills on the city’s northwest side sustained heavy damage. “The fire was literally coming down the hill as all of us were running to grab things out of the house and get out of there,” Lucas recalled of his flight to safety the previous day as the Waldo Canyon fire bore down on his neighborhood. “There were no calls from the police and no one from the fire department coming to the door,” he said. “It was about 30 minutes from the moment we saw the warning on the news to get out to the time when the house caught fire.” Lucas and his family are among hundreds of residents of the neighborhoods hit hard by the blaze on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. And they were among the few who knew with certainty the fate of their homes. The Lucases had some belongings packed because of the warnings from previous days to be ready to go. Still, they believed they were out of danger Tuesday. “It started off as such a nice, normal day to then end with us running from a wall of fire headed toward our house,” Lucas said. “The smoke was so bad as we were trying to leave, I couldn’t hardly see or breathe while driving in the gridlock of people getting out of the area.” Lucas said he feared that many homes were destroyed — something fire officials had not yet addressed publicly.

The Waldo Canyon fire made a run into Colorado Springs on Tuesday night. Karl Gehring, The Denver Post “I know what I saw, and I know how many homes are in the area,” he said. “They’re definitely gone, there wasn’t even a chance.” Lucas and his parents are try-

ing not to think about the loss they have suffered. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet, but, yeah, we have no home. I guess we are nomadic,” he said. Like Lucas, Lisa Stockard

used a video camera to document the destruction in her neighborhood. She stood on a hill at 8 p.m. Tuesday and recorded with a clear view as flames destroyed her home on Champagne Drive. “I sat there and watched it. It’s gone. It’s kind of sad it’s happened,” Stockard said of the loss of the home she had lived in for 18 years. “It’s devastating. It’s an experience you never want to have.” But everybody in her family and her pets were safe. Other homes on her block were also destroyed by the fire. “The devastating thing is all your neighbors are displaced as well,” Stockard said. “People’s lives will never be the same.” Others waited for official word on the fate of their homes. Ruth Kahn was notified early Wednesday by her insurance company that her Mountain Shadows home was damaged in the fire, but she was unsure Wednesday of the extent. “It’s so hard to tell anything right now,” Kahn said. And Kim Fleck, 55, started crying as she talked about family heirlooms that could be lost, including travel chests her husband’s family brought while fleeing Nazi Germany and china passed down four generations. When the family got an evacuation notice on Saturday, she and her husband grabbed photo albums and important documents and left immediately. Wednesday afternoon, she had no idea whether her home on Champagne Drive had been destroyed. “I need to keep my fingers crossed,” Fleck said. “I’m just grateful the whole family got out alive including the pets. This mountain was ablaze.”

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NEWS «11A

D IS A STER S’ F IN A N C IA L TO L L

Wildfires likely to increase future insurance premiums By Steve Raabe The Denver Post

Coloradans will pay higher insurance premiums — but not for a few years — from wildfire losses that are expected to reach hundreds of millions of dollars. Property insurers calculate rates based on prior years of claims history. That means Colorado homeowners may soon see premium increases from hail storms, tornadoes and wildfires of previous years, but not yet from this year’s spate of fires. “Insurance premiums are not impacted by a single disaster but based on claim patterns and trends over a period of years,” said Carole Walker, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association. Raging fires throughout Colorado could make some property insurers reluctant to write new policies — or write them with significant premiums for risk. “Insurers can, and have, placed moratoriums in certain areas, and they can decline to write new policies in those areas,” said Marianne Goodland, public information officer of the Colorado Division of Insurance. “They, however, cannot cancel or decide not to renew existing homeowner policies because the homes are in a moratorium area.” Insurers increasingly are requiring homeowners to mitigate risks, such as clearing brush away from homes, as a condition of insurance. Historically, Colorado’s largest property insurance claims have come from hail and wind, not fires.

Firefighters from multiple districts head back to work near Stony Hill Road and Rockmont Circle in the Boulder Open Space on Wednesday afternoon. They were planning to dig fire lines around houses near the area as part of their efforts to combat the Flagstaff fire. Andy Cross, The Denver Post

FIRE «FROM 1A even more catastrophic wildfires would break out in Colorado, officials at the center decided to order another Type 1 incident-management team — experts at managing complex fires — to the state, just in case. When the Flagstaff fire broke out Tuesday afternoon, the team had found its fire. “Instead of waiting two days for them to begin, they were able to move within two hours,” said Steve Segin, a spokesman at the center. “It worked exactly as planned.” The intensity of the western wildfire season, though, has begun to limit some of the pieces the center can put on its board. Center manager Jim Fletcher said national authorities have warned that the region might not be able to get additional hotshot or specialized quickattack crews, or air tankers, for the near future. The fire season is flaring

up in other states, such as Utah and Montana, and those resources are also needed there. While emphasizing that the Rocky Mountain region is not short-handed, Fletcher said the limitations will force the center to think hard about its priorities. Already, about 46 percent of the federally deployed firefighters in the country are in Colorado, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. “We truly have to make tough decisions on where the investment of resources is going to pay the highest dividends,” Fletcher said. Setting priorities is how the coordination center begins every day. At a meeting, representatives from several states and federal agencies tick through the fires on their radar and determine which is most important based on factors like number of homes and people at risk and potential for growth. The group also decides whether some resources should be ordered and staged in particularly vulnerable areas Weather reports are crucial in the

assessments. Meteorologist Tim Mathewson creates a daily briefing that pulls together information about predicted temperatures, wind speeds, humidity levels and fuel moistures. He analyzes where lightning strikes are likely to occur and incorporates that into maps showing areas with the potential for large fires. Once the fires begin and crews start arriving, it is the center’s job to manage all the chaos. One desk, for instance, keeps track of the airplanes and helicopters — there were 81 of them as of Monday — fighting fires in the region. A monitor tracks the aircrafts’ locations in realtime. Another desk keeps tabs on fire crews. When new fires break out, the center might scramble crews and equipment to it. But that can also happen fluidly at lower levels. “They provide command and control,” Segin said of the center’s leaders. “They’re like generals.”

2009 and 2010 were especially heavy years for insurance claims. In 2009 — the most expensive claims year in Colorado history with three major hailstorms — property insurers paid out $1.69 in claims for every $1 they collected in premiums, according to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America. The loss ratio in 2010 was $1.37 to $1. In prior years, insurance companies collected more in premiums than they paid out in Colorado. And companies also have investment income from their reserves, even during years in which their payouts have been heavy. But because of the big payout imbalances of 2009 and 2010, experts say homeowners should gird for future premium increases. The amount of increases will vary from company to company and from the risk factors applicable to a particular home or region. Insurance adjusters say it is too early to tell what the claims tally from current wildfires will be. The biggest losses are expected to be from the High Park fire west of Fort Collins, where at least 257 homes are confirmed to have burned, and the Waldo Canyon fire west of Colorado Springs, where an unspecified hundreds of homes are believed to be lost. Hail storms in early June produced auto and property claims of $321.1 million. That made the twoday storm the fourth-most expensive catastrophe in Colorado history. Steve Raabe: 303-954-1948 or sraabe@denverpost.com

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State officials are scrambling to find emergency cash to pay for the destructive wildfires sweeping across Colorado — costs now approaching $40 million as fires continue to rage and spark anew. Gov. John Hickenlooper’s administration has already authorized the transfer of more than $39 million for the costs of fighting the High Park, Springer and Stuart Hole fires. Officials say more money is expected to soon be transferred for the Waldo Canyon and Weber fires. Henry Sobanet, the governor’s budget director, said the funds shuffling has been challenging because of the timing: The state’s current fiscal year ends in June, so there’s less flexibility left in the budget because so much funding has already been encumbered. Still, the governor transferred $15 million from a reserve fund of more than $100 million that is funded by surcharges on worker’s compensation insurance. An additional $24 million came

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from other places in the budget where funds had been unspent in the current fiscal year. Within the $24 million, $5.5 million comes from the state’s Disaster Emergency Fund and $6 million from a fund for water projects. “The good news: Many of these fire costs will be reimbursed” by the federal government, Sobanet said. “We might see as much as 50 percent to 75 percent (reimbursement), but in the meantime, the state has to cash flow these costs.” Sobanet has some experience with funding the costs of firefighting. He also served as budget director under Gov. Bill Owens, a Republican, during the 2002 Hayman Fire, which, up to now, was the largest wildfire in Colorado history. “This feels like things are worse,” Sobanet said, adding, however, that he didn’t have numbers handy to compare. “The potential for big fires and big expenses seems greater than 10 years ago.”

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Waldo Canyon “unified,” with fed unit in command colorado springs» As the Waldo Canyon fire doubled in size, officials here Wednesday called the operation to fight the blaze a “unified command” that is working efficiently. More than 1,000 firefighters are working to contain the 15, 517-acre blaze. They include city, county state and federallevel crews. “Every day, each of the leaders from the city to federal level are working together and collaborating on strategies. We do this together as a team so everyone’s interests are covered,” said Pike and San Isabel National Forest supervisor Jerri Marr, who has led many of the press conferences for the Waldo Canyon fire. Tuesday night, as the fire ripped through homes in northwest Colorado Springs, angry residents stormed an evening press conference questioning who is in charge of leading the operation. Marr said with the Type 1 team overseeing the entire effort, officials have delegated their authority to incident commander Rich Harvey. Colorado Springs Fire Department Chief Richard Brown said that despite delegating his authority to the federal team, he’s had a deputy chief embedded with federal officials since they took over management of the fire on Monday. “We’re sitting right there with them in lockstep,” Brown said. “We’re shoulder-to-shoulder in this unified operation.” More than 100 Colorado Springs firefighters are on the Waldo Canyon fire. Brown said support from local troops from bases like Fort Carson would be an added benefit to fighting the fire. “They can fight these fires with us, but they’ve got to be trained,” Brown said. “That takes several days though.” Brown said Fort Carson base commander Maj. Gen. Joseph Anderson has made the offer to have soldiers help with the fire. “We’re having conversations with them right now, because this campaign is not going to be over anytime soon,” Brown said. Fort Carson on Wednesday morning sent three heavy bulldozers to help build firebreaks. A maintenance team of 18 soldiers, who will not be directly involved in firefighting, will be directed by civil authorities, base officials said in a news release. “Fort Carson remains prepared to assist firefighting efforts under the constraints of federal statutes.” When asked Wednesday

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First tour: Updates on President Barack Obama’s visit to the Waldo Canyon fire site »denverpost.com

Individual mandate Rule that nearly all Americans get health insurance or pay a penalty is a tax, which Congress can enact.

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The decision was a victory for Obama and congressional Democrats, affirming the central legislative pillar of Obama’s presidency. The ruling upheld the individual mandate requiring nearly all Americans to obtain health insurance or pay a penalty. “The Affordable Care Act’s requirement that certain individuals pay a financial penalty for not obtaining health insurance COURT » 15A

What does the ruling mean to you? Get answers and more. »13A and blogs.denverpost .com/health Court also rules on Stolen Valor Act. »21A

Colorado: Health insurance expansion booming By Michael Booth and Tim Hoover The Denver Post

The Supreme Court’s decision on upholding key provisions of the Affordable Care Act should speed insurance expansions to nearly all Coloradans, while opponents regroup for future fights, state officials and health experts said. The state will redouble efforts to pre-

pare for 2014’s growth in Medicaid enrollment, and a consumer “exchange” where other individuals should find affordable, uniform benefits, proponents said. “There’s no longer doubt about this law. We can go full throttle,” said Dede de Percin, whose Colorado Consumer Initiative on Health has been a vocal advocate for expanded insurance coverage. REACTION » 14A

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346 homes lost, 1 dead MAJESTIC DRIVE JUNE 28

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DENVER & THE WEST

LOHI RESIDENTS ON ALERT AFTER SEX ASSAULTS One man is in custody in an investigation of sexual assault, and a suspect is still at large in an alleged second sexual assault as the two incidents put Lower Highland neighbors on edge. »4A

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By Jeremy P. Meyer The Denver Post

he roaring Waldo Canyon fire that exploded into west-side neighborhoods of Colorado Springs destroyed 346 homes — making it the most destructive wildfire in state history. It also has claimed at least one life. Colorado Springs Police Chief Pete Carey announced late Thursday that human remains

had been found in a burned home in the Mountain Shadows neighborhood. A second person is missing, he said. He said the body was found in the rubble at 2910 Rossmere St. No further details were released. Residents of three dozen streets in the Mountain Shadows neighborhood were summoned to a meeting Thursday night at WALDO » 8A

Maps and more. All the latest updates on the Colorado fires. »denverpost.com/wildfires

“MAJESTIC IS GONE” Of all the streets in Mountain Shadows, none suffered the kinds of losses Majestic did. » 8A Photos by Bing, left and RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post

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“It was just a really good place to live. It was beautiful. Life is hard to understand sometimes.”

HIGH PARK fire FORT COLLINS

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Mary King, who has lived in the Mountain Shadows neighborhood for 23 years

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At least nine major wildfires are burning in Colorado.

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DURANGO An aerial photo taken Thursday, left, shows some of the destruction from the Waldo Canyon fire in the Mountain Shadows subdivision. An earlier satellite image shows the same properties before the fire. Photos by RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post, left, Google

STATELINE fire

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The Denver Post

Evacuees mourn community

Residents of Colorado Springs’ Majestic Drive lost more than their homes to the wildfire By John Ingold The Denver Post

Some days, looking out from his backyard in the Mountain Shadows area of Colorado Springs, Ralph Moreman couldn’t help but smile. Just across the Flying W Ranch Road, he could see horses and cattle from the ranch grazing in pastures. Other times, he could look up the hill and see bighorn sheep. Deer walked through his backyard. And all this in a neighborhood with the lush, green lawns and shade trees of a quiet community park. It was a neighborhood worthy of the street on which it sat: Majestic Drive. “We had an outstanding view,” Moreman said. Tuesday night, as the Waldo Canyon fire raged in the community, an emergency dispatcher asked what had become of Majestic Drive.

A firefighter responded without emotion: “Majestic is gone.” Of all the streets in Mountain Shadows on which homes burned, none suffered the kinds of losses that Majestic did. The street and three spurs off of it — a planned neighborhood known as Parkside — lost at least 139 of their 178 homes, aerial photographs show. More than a third of all the homes burned in the fire were in Mountain Shadows. And the homes on Majestic weren’t just destroyed. Many were incinerated. In a photo Moreman received of his burned home, the car and the motorcycle that had been sitting in his garage aren’t even visible — nor, for that matter, is his garage. Any hope he had that things might have survived in the nooks and crawl space of the house is gone. “It burned flat to the ground,” he

said. But, as much as he and other residents of the neighborhood are mourning the loss of their homes and their possessions, they are also mourning the loss of the community. Lee Grasmick, who lost his home on Majestic Drive, said residents would get together for cookouts. They had an unspoken kind of neighborhood-watch program. People could leave their garage doors open without worry. When one neighbor graduated from college recently, it was cause for a community party, he said. “It was a very pleasant place to live,” Grasmick said. Parkside was built in 1984 as a community of homes clustered in groups of five to 10 around small cul-de-sacs, according to the homeowners association’s website. Green space in the neighborhood is shared.

The tightness of the homes — neighbors often had only a few feet between one another — probably contributed to the fire’s spread, said Dougg Custer, whose home on Majestic burned. But it also gave the neighborhood an intimacy, while still preserving the feeling of living in a park. “The deer, oh, we’re going to miss the deer,” Custer said. “They would come through and eat everybody’s flowers. But nobody minded because they were just so beautiful.” Mary King said she and her husband have lived in the neighborhood for 23 years. It was there that they raised their children, who went to the elementary school a few blocks away. She and her neighbors watched one another’s homes during vacations and shared in babysitting co-ops. King said she is grateful for the fire crews who spent the night trying to

save homes. And she is thankful that emergency officials had the foresight to evacuate the community early, something she said almost certainly saved lives. From aerial photos, King believes her home may have survived, but she isn’t counting on that. “I’m so afraid to hope until I see it myself,” she said. She doesn’t know what her neighborhood will look like when she returns — or whether her neighbors will come back, too, and rebuild the community she loves. Those are answers the present can’t provide. “It was just a really good place to live,” King said. “It was beautiful. “Life is hard to understand sometimes.” John Ingold: 303-954-1068 or jingold@denverpost.com

From the fire: More before-and-after views of the neighborhood burned by the Waldo Canyon fire. »denverpost.com/wildfires

WALDO «FROM 1A

Evacuee Alexandrea Hermes and her daughter Ava, 5, watch as smoke from the Waldo Canyon fire rises behind them Thursday while swimming in the pool at the hotel where they are staying. They were forced leave their home on the Air Force Academy base in Colorado Springs. RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post

Staff writers Sara Burnett, Kurtis Lee, Jordan Steffen and Erin Udell contributed to this report.

WOODLAND PARK

Mandatory evacuation area Rampart Reservoir

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prevented them from paying rent on a storage unit in Illinois. “We lived pretty much without furniture for a year and a half,” she said. “We just started buying furniture this past year.” Just two days before the Waldo Canyon fire roared into their neighborhood, the family was putting together pots, pans and other items to give to a family who had lost their home in a different wildfire. Bach said he doesn’t agree with former Gov. Bill Owens that President Barack Obama’s visit Friday will be a distraction and is “ill-advised.” Bach said he welcomes Obama and said city officials have told the White House that the city won’t be able to offer resources to provide security for the president’s visit. “I really appreciate the president coming here … “And I do plan to ask for cash.”

Tuesday burn area 24

MANITOU SPRINGS

Mandatory evacuation area

Garden of the Gods Rd. Garden of the Gods

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. ve aA

At a news conference Thursday afternoon, Mountain Shadows resident David Dougherty waved a copy of the statewide evacuation policy and demanded that he be let in. “You don’t have the authority to keep me out of my house,” Dougherty shouted to Colorado Springs Police Chief Peter Carey, who calmly told the man that since Colorado Springs is a home-rule city, it does have the authority to supersede the state order. The fickle nature of the flames — which on some streets wiped out houses on either side of homes that remained standing — was illustrated by the experience of another resident. Lynn Becka and her husband had been evacuated and came to the afternoon meeting seeking answers. They learned that their house had been spared. “We lost everything three years ago, and the thought of going through that again was unbearable,” she said. Three years ago, the family lost most of their possessions when mounting bills for their son’s medical treatments

the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. There, they learned with certainty which of their homes had survived and which had fallen in the unprecedented firestorm Tuesday afternoon and evening. “This is going to be a tough evening, but we’re going to get through it,” Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach said before the meeting. “This community is going to mount an unprecedented response to this. … This community will surround them with love and encouragement, and we will move forward as a city.” At the meeting, people were gathered by street to receive the news. “People finding out for the first time were in tears,” Byron Largent said, but it was good to “see the way the street came together and supported each other.” Byron and his wife Rebekah, who lived on Majestic Drive, said they already knew their news was bad, because they had seen an aerial photo in The Denver Post. The Largents lost their home on the daughter Emma’s first birthday. “We got us out, our daughter out and our cat out,” he said. “What else matters?” Even as bad news was being spread, firefighters were ending a good day on the fire lines as cooler temperatures and even a squall of rain fell over the 16,750-acre fire. Effective at 8 p.m., mandatory evacuation orders were lifted for some neighborhoods, but remained in effect for Cedar Heights, Mountain Shadows, Peregrine and areas north of Rockrimmon. By evening, officials said, crews had 15 percent containment on the Waldo Canyon fire, which has been burning west of the city since Saturday. Colorado Springs police officials said 10 people remain unaccounted for since Tuesday’s blow-up, and authorities were trying to locate them through friends and family. Police also said they expect some “property crimes” to have occurred at some homes that have been empty because of mandatory evacuations. Two people have been arrested on suspicion of burglary. Frustration grew Thursday among residents who — at that point — had been out of their homes for days, some since the weekend.

The Denver Post

the denver post B denverpost.com B friday, june 29, 2012

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Air crews continue to fight the Waldo Canyon fire Wednesday near the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Although the fire burned 10 acres of the base’s property, the in-processing exercises for new cadets continued without any delay. RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post

New AF cadets unfazed by nearby fire damage Waldo Canyon blaze hasn’t disrupted opening activities By Erin Udell The Denver Post

air force academy» Veronica Leddy had enough to be anxious about without a massive wildfire burning near her new school. After in-processing at the Air Force Academy on Thursday, Leddy, one of the academy’s new cadets, will start basic training. After making a run Tuesday, the Waldo Canyon fire burned 10 acres of the academy. “That’s 10 acres of 19,000,” said John VanWinkle, a base spokesman. “And there’s no

longer any fire on Academy grounds. We say that with our fingers crossed.” Leddy is from Long Island, N.Y., but she said she and her family have been watching the Waldo Canyon fire on the news. “It’s weird,” Leddy said. “We could see smoke from our hotel room yesterday, but I feel like I’ll be OK. I’m just kind of excited.” In-processing of the 1,045 new basic cadet trainees took place in the Cadet Field House instead of outdoors. Other than that — and the nearby plumes of smoke — nothing seemed out of the ordinary as parents

hugged and kissed their children goodbye. “The communication’s been great,” said Danyel Darger, whose daughter Alyx headed off to basic training early Thursday afternoon. “I know she’s in good hands.” According to VanWinkle, officials will continue to monitor air quality and imminent danger. What appeared to be smoke was seen on the grounds Thursday, but that was from bulldozer activity, not the fire.

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friday, june 29, 2012 B denverpost.com B the denver post

WALDO CANYON FIRE

Displaced resident Bob Page, holding his dog Tinka, and his son Troy are living in a trailer in a Walmart parking lot as they wait to hear fire updates. Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post

Hotels filled as evacuees struggle to find shelter By Kurtis Lee The Denver Post

colorado springsÂť With his rusted camper latched behind a 1977 Chevy pickup sitting several feet away, Bob Page peered west toward the plumes of smoke rising from the mountains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I parked it and have stayed here so I could keep an eye on the neighborhood,â&#x20AC;? he said, using an index finger to point from the Walmart parking lot toward the vicinity of where his Woodmen Valley home is located. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just got to keep a look out, even though thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing I can do.â&#x20AC;? Page, 77, along with his wife and adult son, who was visiting from Pennsylvania, was among the 32,000 El Paso County residents displaced by the Waldo Canyon fire, which destroyed an estimated 346 homes. Up and down the Front

Range, from south Denver to Pueblo, hotels, campgrounds and shelters have served as homes for many of the displaced. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here to serve the evacuees as best we can,â&#x20AC;? said Catherine Barde, a spokeswoman for the Pikes Peak chapter of the American Red Cross. In the Colorado Springs area, the Red Cross has opened five shelters, and more than 350 people stayed overnight Wednesday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of times people come to us for their short-term needs,â&#x20AC;? Barde said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But in the longterm they would much rather be at a hotel or with friends.â&#x20AC;? At the Howard Johnson Hotel in north Colorado Springs, front desk manager Katie Matthew said the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 115 rooms have been booked solid the past several days. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Today Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had 32 checkouts, and with that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had 32 check-ins,â&#x20AC;? Matthew said, not-

ing that usually during this time of year tourists visiting attractions such as Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods stay at the hotel. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re usually busy, but not like this.â&#x20AC;? Matthew is offering a discount to those displaced. Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach said he was hopeful there wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be any more evacuations and there should be â&#x20AC;&#x153;some evacuation orders lifted soon, so less people will be displaced.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The city is also looking into working with real estate agents to find homes and condos that could be made available to those who lost their residences,â&#x20AC;? Bach said. Kurtis Lee: 303-954-1655, klee@denverpost.com or twitter.com/kurtisalee Staff writer Erin Udell contributed to this report.

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the denver post B denverpost.com B friday, june 29, 2012

Owens and Hickenlooper disagree on effect Obama’s fire tour will have The ex-governor says the president will distract; the current one says no. By Sara Burnett The Denver Post

Former Gov. Bill Owens calls President Barack Obama’s scheduled tour of the Waldo Canyon fire area “ill-advised,” saying it will divert resources from fighting the blaze and that when he was governor during the 2002 Hayman fire, he respectfully asked then-President George W. Bush not to come. “I know what goes into a presidential visit, and I have quite a bit of background

knowledge on what goes into fighting these fires,” Owens said Thursday. “And the two should rarely meet.” Owens, a Republican who left office in 2006, also posted on his Facebook page that he considered the visit too distracting. But Gov. John Hickenlooper said he believes people in Colorado Springs — including leaders of the conservative stronghold — will appreciate the public support. He said the visit won’t tie up Interstate 25 or take firefighters away from the fire line, and he brushed off suggestions of election-year politicking. “This is what the president of the United States should be do-

ing in a situation like this,” Hickenlooper said. Obama is scheduled to tour the fire area in Colorado Springs on Friday. A White House official said the president looks forward to thanking first responders and seeing for himself if additional resources are necessary. Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach said he “really appreciates” the president coming. “I do plan to ask for cash,” he said.

“This is what the president of the United States should be doing in a situation like this.”

Tim Hoover and Chuck Murphy contributed to this report.

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12A» NEWS

friday, june 29, 2012 B denverpost.com B the denver post

Faye Courtland hugs her granddaughter Emily Parker, left, as her daughter Laura, with binoculars; granddaughter Katye; and husband, Tom Courtland, watch the smoke west of Colorado Springs on Wednesday. The Parker family was on vacation when the fire started and has not been able to return home.

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Emergency-call sign-ups surge Fires have spurred mobile registration for El Paso-Teller County E911 to jump to nearly 55,000. By Jennifer Brown The Denver Post

One thousand per hour. That’s how many El Paso County and Teller County residents — panicked as wildfire rages in the hills around their largest city — are registering their cellphone numbers in a reverse-dial emergency notification system. The number of mobile phone users now signed up for the El Paso-Teller County E911 system has climbed to nearly 55,000, more than quadruple what it was before the flames scorched at least 15,000 acres in Colorado Springs and an unknown number of homes. “It’s brutal,” said Ben Bills, public information officer for El Paso-Teller County E911. “We’re trying to stay on top of it.” In the last three days, the system has initiated more than 30 mass-dial alerts to land lines, cellphones and e-mail addresses, warning residents of the advanc-

ing flames and, in many cases, the impending need to evacuate. Every few hours, officials take the system off-line for a couple of minutes so Bills can upload thousands of new numbers. Reverse-dial warning systems aren’t capable of sending alerts — calls, texts or e-mails — to cellphones unless a person registers the number with the county’s emergency management office. Land lines are uploaded into the El Paso system four times each year with data from Comcast and CenturyLink. A Denver Post investigation this summer found systems across Colorado have typical success rates of about 50 percent — meaning residents get the warning only half the time. The systems contain thousands of disconnected or nolonger-in-service phone numbers in databases that are updated every few months. And in most counties, residents have been slow to register their cellphone numbers even as more people give up land lines and go mobile only. Each time there is a wildfire along the Front Range, the El Paso-Teller system gets a spike in registrants. But the last three

days saw the largest uptick in system history, which makes sense because the Waldo Canyon fire is the biggest emergency of Bills’ career, he said. Before the fire, just 13,000 people — in an area with 525,000 adults — had registered their mobile numbers in the system, despite pamphlets and promotional videos shown before feature films at movie theaters. Bills quickly gathered a makeshift staff of 10 people this week to answer phone calls from residents who want to register for the warning system or find out whether their home phones are already on the list. “(Tuesday) was bad,” Bills said. E911 officials have not had time yet to analyze mass-dial alerts from the last three days to see what percentage reached live people or answering machines. Residents in the danger zone who did not receive calls have probably moved or disconnected their land lines in the last 90 days or not registered their mobile numbers, Bills said. Jennifer Brown: 303-954-1593 or jenbrown@denverpost.com

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MONDAY, JULY 2, 2012

Stay up to date: Get the latest news now by signing up for breaking news alerts »denverpost.com/breakingnews

Patent O∞ce a coup The facility will help boost Denver and Colorado among tech and innovation centers. By Andy Vuong The Denver Post

Grace Mgana, 2, and her father, Immanuel, view the ruins of their Mountain Shadows home Sunday. Immanuel came home from his Army deployment in East Africa after his wife saw a photo of their home on fire on the front page of The Denver Post. Photos by Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post

Sifting through what’s left Springs residents return to the piles of ashes that used to be their homes.

Neighbors Kate Stefani, right, and Melissa Mgana lost their homes in the Waldo Canyon fire. Residents were allowed to return to the Mountain Shadows subdivision Sunday.

By Joey Bunch The Denver Post

colorado springs» As residents of the Mountain Shadows neighborhood returned to their homes Sunday morning, they came face-to-face with the cruel, capricious nature of the Waldo Canyon fire. “I just broke down,” Melissa Mgana said of viewing the home she and her three children had fled more than a week earlier. “We knew it was gone from pictures in The Denver Post and then from the community meetings. “But when you see it, it’s still heartbreaking. I know it’s all just stuff, but it’s things that can’t be replaced. I don’t have a single blanket any of my children were wrapped in when they were babies. I had my wedding dress that I hoped to save for my kids.” Her husband, Immanuel, was deployed with the Army but was allowed to return to comfort his family and begin to plan.

SPORTS

MISSY FRANKLIN DIVES INTO RECORD BOOKS

A few blocks away, Laurette Anzalone clutched a white tissue to her lips and shed quiet tears for a few minutes in the side yard near where her kitchen stood for 19 years. Her family members plucked dishes and figurines from the rubble and ash of her home and left them at the foot of her wheelchair. “I have to start all over,” said the 80-year-

old stroke survivor and lupus victim. “Pots, pans, everything — there’s nothing left here.” But just down the hill, artist Steve Weed and his wife, Laurie Wilson, were quietly celebrating their undamaged house like a miracle birth. FIRE » 8A

Swimmer in position to be first woman in U.S. history to swim seven Olympic events »1B

Kansas City, here he comes. Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is chosen to play in this year’s All-Star Game »1B

By Yesenia Robles The Denver Post

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ON THE CHEAP: FOURTH OF JULY FESTIVITIES Tech Know. The Samsung’s Galaxy S III is a contender. »8C

PATENT » 10A

Read more Previous coverage of the patent office »denverpost.com/business

Community turns out for music in tribute to o∞cer Friends, relatives and colleagues gather for a silent vigil to honor Celena Hollis’ memory and pledge to eliminate violence from City Park.

Celebrate close to home for the midweek holiday. »1C

Landing a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is a major coup for Colorado, an economic-development gem that puts the state on the map as a leader in technology and innovation. “It really symbolizes that Colorado has arrived as a nationwide leader in the technology sector,” said Phil Weiser, dean of the University of Colorado Law School. “It’s a very tangible sign that fits in overall stories about Denver/Boulder and Colorado that are only starting to break through.” The U.S. Department of Commerce is expected to announce Monday three cities for satellite patent offices, a much-needed expansion of the severely backlogged U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Va. The Denver Post reported Sunday that Denver; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; and San Jose, Calif., have been selected, according to advance documents. Commerce officials had already announced plans for an office in Detroit. “There are a lot of ripples that will come from a satellite patent office being here in Colorado,” said John Posthumus, a Denver patent lawyer with Sheridan Ross PC. “It’s certainly going to be very attractive to companies who are either looking to start here or relocate their offices here.” The patent-application process includes interviews with patent examiners, Posthumus said, and having a satellite office in the Denver area will help cut the cost and time it takes for the region’s innovators to protect their work. Weiser, founder of the Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship, said the office will help attract new businesses because it underscores that Colorado is a technology center with “a great set of

Celena Hollis’ family gathers for the City Park Jazz tribute just feet from where she was shot a week earlier. Kathryn Scott Osler, The Denver Post

A week after Denver police Officer Celena Hollis was fatally shot just as the weekly summer jazz-music concert ended at City Park, the music was rolling again, and people at the park said they felt a sense of peace. “The atmosphere here feels the same, except everyone is more calm,” said Lola Hurst, a Denver resident who went to Sunday’s City Park Jazz concert dedicated to Hollis. “It’s an honor to be here. It makes you feel proud of the city,” said Hurst’s friend Linda Futrell.

Ribbons of purple — Hollis’ favorite color — adorned every tree at the park, and others passed out smaller ones with pins for park-goers to wear as a show of support. More than 100 police officers and sheriff’s deputies were at the memorial concert. During a vigil before the music started at 6 p.m., officers and residents cleared the way for Hollis’ family, including her daughter and mother. About 30 family members were escorted by officers into the pavilions as the crowds saluted and applauded for them. Speakers during the vigil urged Denverites to take their park back and make a stand against violence. “Stop being afraid, and get involved,” said Sherri Landrum, mother of a 21-year-old who was killed in a gang-related incident in Denver in 2004. HOLLIS » 10A

8A» NEWS

monday, july 2, 2012 B denverpost.com B the denver post

Sharon Dougherty waters the lawn at her home on Rossmere Street on Sunday, the first day evacuees were allowed to return to the Mountain Shadows subdivision. Dougherty's home survived the Waldo Canyon fire, which burned at least 347 homes. Mahala Gaylord, The Denver Post

FIRE «FROM 1A They learned their home had been spared when they, too, saw a Denver Post photograph from after the flames had moved on, but they had sweated out the risk of smoke damage to a fortune in watercolor paintings. The wind and high ridges around their home pushed the smoke and embers beyond it, it appeared. “Among all this tragedy, there’s at least that little bit of good news,” Wilson said. After seven days of battling the blaze, fire officials said Sunday they might finally have gained an edge. “We turned a corner on this today,” said Rich Harvey, a spokesman for the incident-management team. The fire’s size, at 17,827 acres, held steady, and its containment grew from 45 percent to 55 percent Sunday, despite the extreme heat, low humidity and gusty winds. Fire managers had targeted a July 16 containment date. “If we can make it through today, I think you’re going to see that containment date move up,” Harvey said. But on Sunday, Anzalone’s mind was not on flames. She thought about the past, about family members who had trusted her with heirlooms, and about people she had never known before who were so willing to give her their help and their love. Her great-niece, Cortney Lee, brought her a blackened china cup, which Anzalone remembered as a Christmas gift from a favorite aunt. Just then, 15-year-old Tashana St. John approached Anzalone from behind and put her hand on Anzalone’s shoulder. “You don’t know me, but I live down there,” said St. John, pointing to an unburned home at the bottom of the hill. “We wanted our neighbors to know we’re glad they’re OK and that we love them.” Anzalone lifted the tissue to her face again, her eyes became moist, and she smiled as she clutched the teen’s hand. Anzalone did her best to cheer up others. “I won’t miss that old tree, so I’m glad it’s gone,” she said of a formerly gnarly pine that had dropped twigs, needles and limbs in her side yard for years. Everyone nearby laughed louder and longer than the small joke might have otherwise commanded. Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174 or jbunch@denverpost.com

C Harold Luther, 80, looks at the remains of his burned home in the Mountain Shadows subdivision Sunday. Luther’s home, on the corner of Flying W Ranch Road and Manning Way, was the only home on the block to burn. “I just, I didn’t expect it to look like this. ... When we drove up, it hit me hard,” Luther said. Mahala Gaylord, The Denver Post

Lauretta Anzalone, 80, touches a kettle held by Cortney Lee, her greatniece. Lee found the kettle in the ashes of Anzalone’s home Sunday in the Mountain Shadows subdivision of Colorado Springs. “I have to start all over. Pots, pans, everything — there’s nothing left here,” Anzalone said. She has lived in the now-ravaged neighborhood for 19 years. Heather Rousseau, The Denver Post

An American flag flies on the back of a burned-out car. Residents were allowed into the Mountain Shadows subdivision Sunday to visit their homes five days after the Waldo Canyon fire burned through their neighborhood. Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post

Slide show Photos of the return to Mountain Shadows »denverpost.com /mediacenter

Updates Latest wildfire info »denverpost.com /wildfires

MULLEN HIGH PRESIDENT STEPS DOWN »sports, 1B

NATO supplies for Afghanistan roll in after 7 months. »17A

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Weather watch: Temperature updates and forecasts when you need them. »denverpost.com/weather ZERO COMPENSATION

STAKING THEIR CLAIM

Free again, dead broke A wrongly convicted man out of prison after 16 years gets nothing from the state. By Nancy Lofholm The Denver Post

Chris Grove, second from left, and her husband, Michael Fender, third from left, meet with Mike Furgal, left, and Mark Nix of Allstate Insurance Co. at the site of their home in the Mountain Shadows neighborhood in Colorado Springs on Thursday. The couple’s home was destroyed by the Waldo Canyon fire June 26. They lived in the home for 13 years and paid off their mortgage a year ago. Fender said, “If the conditions are good, we would like to rebuild bigger and better than before.” Craig F. Walker, The Denver Post »11A

“This is the same place we had fire last night.” Ridge along hiking trail may contain origin of catastrophic Waldo Canyon fire By Jeremy P. Meyer and John Ingold The Denver Post

The deadly Waldo Canyon fire appears to have started just off a hiking trail west of Colorado Springs, a location that firefighters searched unsuccessfully the day before the wind-fanned blaze exploded June 23. Although El Paso County Sheriff’s Lt. Jeff Kramer said he was “not at liberty” to reveal the precise point of origin, coordinates posted on a federal fire-management website and dispatch recordings of conversations between firefighters indicate the fire started on a ridge along the popular Waldo Canyon hiking trail. On Thursday, investigators said they had not deter-

mined how the fire began. The fire was officially reported at about noon June 23 and went on to burn 18,247 acres, destroy 347 houses and kill Barbara Everett, 73, and William Everett, 74, in their home in the Mountain Shadows neighborhood. The fire is 95 percent contained and has cost $14.5 million to fight. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office late Saturday night issued a news release confirming that a resident in Crystal Park reported seeing smoke in the hills north of Cave of the Winds at 7:49 p.m. June 22. Firefighters from four agencies responded to investiFIRE » 11A

State blazes: Complete coverage of the state’s fires.

grand junction» When Robert Dewey walked out of prison a free man after more than 16 years of being imprisoned for a murder he didn’t commit, he left empty-handed. He wasn’t given the $100 debit card that parolees receive on release. He wasn’t offered shelter in a halfway house, as the guilty who have served their time are. He wasn’t directed to any job training or educational resources. In Colorado, there is no compensation and no help of any sort for those who have been wrongly imprisoned. “I didn’t even get the ‘gate money.’ All I got was an apology. The prosecutors said, ‘We’re really sorry. Have a nice life,’ ” Dewey, 51, said two months after his release from prison, which was prompted after new DNA testing identified a new suspect in the 1994 killing of a young Palisade woman. Now, prosecutors across the state agree that Colorado needs to do something to compensate those who are exonerated by DNA evidence after being wrongly imprisoned. A national advocacy group is pushing for the Colorado legislature to craft a compensation law. And legislators are evaluating the introduction of such a law in the next session. Twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia have statutes to provide compensation for the wrongly convicted. Of the 290 inmates across the country who have been exonerated by DNA evidence, such as Dewey, more than 40 percent have DNA » 10A

»denverpost.com /wildfires

More: Coroner ID’s Springs couple killed. »7A

BUSINESS

STATE ECONOMIC FORECAST LOOKS SLIGHTLY BRIGHTER A revised forecast for Colorado says the state may add as many as 12,000 more jobs this year than originally forecast. »12A

DEN V ER HE A LTH’S NEW CHIEF

Hospital exec was ousted from Calif. post By Michael Booth The Denver Post

The newly appointed chief of Denver Health was ousted from a community hospital near San Diego in 2009 amid deteriorating finances, though supporters of Arthur Gonzalez say the move was political and that his past was fully vetted by Denver and others. Gonzalez, currently chief of a public hospital system in Minneapolis, left Southern California in a cloud of recrimination, with a severance worth up to $1 million and an unreleased financial audit that Gonzalez supporters said was politically motivated. A newly elected board majority had booted

Arthur Gonzalez’s backers say he was forced out in 2009 amid political circumstances. Gonzalez and eight other top officials in a controversy over a floating-rate bond gone bad, failed votes on earthquake-proofing hospitals and tough negotiations with medical unions. The ouster followed a political battle in which competing factions said the hospital needed to stanch patient losses with a new

governing structure. Denver Health officials say they are in a quiet period before his contract is final and cannot comment on specifics of the San Diego controversy in late 2008 and 2009. “The search committee and board are aware of his professional history. They have thoroughly vetted Arthur Gonzalez and believe that he is an outstanding candidate who is uniquely qualified for this position,” said Denver Health spokeswoman Julie Lonborg. Gonzalez, through a spokesman for Hennepin Healthcare Systems in Minneapolis, declined to comment. HOSPITAL » 8A

Home sales. Metro Denver real estate sales are up sharply from a year ago. »14A

SPORTS

CYCLING TEAM DENIES DRUG ACCUSATIONS C Jonathan Vaughters, chief exec of Team GarminSharp, rejects a newspaper report on doping suspensions. »6C

the denver post B denverpost.com B friday, july 6, 2012

NEWS «11A

C OLO R A DO WILD F IRES

Chris Grove talks with Allstate Insurance Property Adjuster Mark Nix at her home in the Colorado Springs’ Mountain Shadows neighborhood Thursday. Craig F. Walker, The Denver Post

In wake of flames – insurance claims By Kurtis Lee The Denver Post

colorado springs » Charred and contorted metal strips formed a stark barrier around piles of blackened rubble that used to be a two-story ranch style home at 5533 Majestic Drive. “These were our beige gutters,” said Michael Fender , nudging the metal with his right foot. “I just don’t know ... I don’t know what it is anymore.” Fender and his wife lived in the three-bedroom home for 13 years, and on Thursday afternoon began preliminary inspections for what can be a painful and lengthy claims process in the wake of the Waldo Canyon fire. Aerial photographs show their street and a planned neighborhood known as Parkside lost at least 139 of their 178 homes in the blaze. “It’s a rough situation,” said Mark Nix, an insurance property adjuster with Allstate who worked with couple. “In this first meeting, I just needed to measure the foundation and driveway and take some pictures.” Since arriving in Colorado Springs earlier this week, Nix said he’s inspected about a dozen properties destroyed by the fire. Following the initial site visit, the adjuster will then meet with

FIRE «FROM 1A gate but disbanded the search at dusk. Firefighters returned the next morning. “Could it be a campfire?” one firefighter asks on archived dispatch recordings from June 22. Winds dispersing the smoke made it difficult to find the source. “That’s a happy thought,” said another firefighter about the blustery weather. The next day, as a large plume of smoke developed to the west of the city, firefighters scrambled to get in position to locate the fire — even attempting to ask the pilot of a plane flying over to help find the wildfire. “This is the same place we had fire last night,” an unidentified firefighter from the Cascade Volunteer Fire Department is heard to say over the radio. “It is on a ridge trail.” Another firefighter on the recorded conversation said he and a crew hiked the area on the morning of June 23 to find the source of the smoke reported the night before. “We hiked around there for quite a while,” the unidentified firefighter said over the dispatch recording. “There was nothing at that time. But it looks like it was there.” Reached on Thursday by The Denver Post, a member of the Cascade Fire Department refused to talk about the fire’s first days, saying he needed approval from the federal incident team before talking to media. The National Weather Service in Pueblo said skies were clear and no thunderstorms were in the area June 22 and 23, making it unlikely that light-

residents a few days later to go over their personal property lost in the disaster. “There’s a number of stages that it takes,” Nix said. “Eventually we hope to write them an estimate to get them rebuilt.” Nix, based in Texas, travels all over the country — he has seen the damage wrought by floods, tornadoes and hurricanes. “They’re all bad,” he said. “It’s heartbreaking.” Colorado’s two largest property insurers reported Thursday that they received 1,449 claims for wildfire losses or expenses. The claims include total structural losses as well as damage from smoke and fire and requests for temporary living expenses from property owners displaced by fires. Officials with State Farm said it had received 150 claims from northern Colorado’s High Park fire and 390 claims for the Waldo Canyon fire. Farmers Insurance representatives said the company has received 909 claims from all Colorado wildfires, with the majority from High Park and Waldo Canyon. Both companies expect the numbers to grow as more fire damage is discovered and reported. With a heavy thunderstorm forecast for this weekend, mon-

soon season likely to arrive in late summer and hillsides stripped of vegetation by the flames, residents in the area face another danger: Mud. “Many homeowners do not realize the standard homeowners insurance policy typically excludes mudflow type losses,” Christopher Hackett, a director for the Property Casualty Insurers of America, said in a statement. Across Majestic Drive from Fender’s home, Eugene and Cheryl Keckritz stood in their concrete driveway fixated on the foundation where their 2,200-square-foot home of 18 years once stood. “It was Navajo white, with Zeus green trim,” said Cheryl. “We lost a lot. My dad’s old tool box ... he died four years ago, and that’s what I kept as a memory of him. Now it’s gone.” The Keckritzes said they’re fully insured and estimated their home was worth $240,000. “I want to rebuild. We hope to rebuild, but right now it’s just too early,” Cheryl said.

ning struck the area. Investigators have asked people who were in the Waldo Canyon area June 22 and 23 to call if they may have seen something that could help the investigation. Federal authorities are working together with local agencies on the investigation. In pinpointing the origin of a wildfire, investigators interview eyewitnesses and the first-arriving firefighters for details on what they saw. But the most important questions are asked of the landscape, said Paul Steensland, who was one of the U.S. Forest Service’s top wildfire investigators before he retired. Steensland, who investigated the Hayman fire among hundreds of others, now works as a consultant but said he had not been contacted on the Waldo Canyon fire. Every fire develops its own personality as it grows, influenced by wind, terrain and fuel, Steensland said. Pushed by wind, the fire’s head races forward, while the body spreads outward at an angle and the tail stretches slowly backward. When investigators arrive near the origin site, they begin to read the clues that nod back toward the starting point. The fire’s head burns hot and quickly, leaving no unburned grass in its path except for in little eddies behind rocks, while the flanks may have sprigs of dry but unburned grass lying in the burned area. Step by step, investigators zigzag between the flanks as they funnel toward the origin site, Steensland said. When they get close — within feet — investigators may even be on their hands and knees, reading the baked-in tilt of the grass

blades, something known as “foliage freeze.” Once investigators find the “specific origin site,” Steensland said, they look even closer. “Sometimes, it’s really big and obvious like a campfire ring,” he said. “And sometimes, it’s really small like a match.” The wildfire detectives might even run magnets over the ground, looking for flecks of metal. Once they find what started the fire, investigators again turn their attention outward in an effort to find the culprit. “At this point, it really does shift just to good old-fashioned detective work,” he said. Steensland said fire-starters will sometimes leave behind evidence that links them to the fire scene — he recalls one such person who dropped his cellphone while leaving the area. Firefighters are often trained to write down license-plate numbers or make note of people they see in the area when they arrive at a fire, Steensland said. Witnesses may come forward with evidence. The firestarter may even admit to starting the blaze. And, if they don’t, investigators can often pull DNA off of some evidence, such as an arsonist’s ignition device. “You’re going to use any and all tools in the toolbox to try to identify who is responsible,” Steensland said. But, because wildfires often start in remote areas with few people watching, finding a culprit who doesn’t want to be found is often challenging. “That’s why a fair number of these fires go unsolved,” Steensland said.

Staff writer Steve Raabe contributed to this report. Kurtis Lee: 303-954-1655, klee@denverpost.com or twitter.com/kurtisalee

Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367, jpmeyer@denverpost.com or twitter.com/jpmeyerdpost

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Voice of the Rocky Mountain Empire

afternoon storms E78° F58° »9B B JULY 8, 2012 B denverpost.com B © the denver post B $1.50 price may vary outside metro denver

Interactive: Examine the nation’s unemployment rate and job-creation numbers. »denverpost.com/extras EVO LU T IO N O F HIV

The Waldo Canyon fire killed two people and destroyed hundreds of homes. Now, local business owners worry what the damage to the economy will be. Karl Gehring, The Denver Post

WALDO CANYON FIRE AFTERMATH

“The consequences of this fire will far exceed our imagination”

Fear fades, danger lurks Recent breakthoughs in diagnosis and treatment of the disease hide risks. By Michael Booth The Denver Post

The good news about the once-terrifying disease HIV is that it’s now tamed and shoved into a small box: an FDA-approved home test kit you can buy at the grocery store. The bad news is the same. HIV has been so defanged in a series of medical successes that doctors get more upset at a diagnosis than their patients. Doctors occasionally find it necessary to confront a ho-hum, just-another-pill reaction with the harsh reality: It’s still deadly. That pill can cost thousands of dollars a month. And it’s still risking the lives of many partners. The journey from panic-inducing epidemic to mundane disease is “the bane of public health,” as one Denver expert puts it. The announcement last week of an at-home test marked the success of medicine at the cost of productive popular fear. How do you combat what is still an epidemic when a test and a treatment seem so routine? HIV » 14A

C O LO R A D O ’S U N D EC ID ED

Ken Riesterer of the Green Horse Gallery fixes the flag outside his shop on Manitou Avenue in Manitou Springs on Friday. He said he is worried that his business will suffer from the impact of the Waldo Canyon fire. “We’re concerned about the people canceling their reservations at the bed-and-breakfasts,” he said. “They’re usually the art buyers.” By Jeremy P. Meyer and John Mossman; Photos by Craig F. Walker, The Denver Post

manitou springs» The Waldo Canyon fire is nearing full containment, but the devastating fire continues to rage through the Pikes Peak-area economy. Motels that are normally full have only a few guests, tourist shops have had to lay off workers, and restaurants are seeing little foot traffic. The fire, which was first reported June 23, destroyed 347 homes, making it the most destructive wildfire in state history. It burned more than 18,000 acres and killed two residents.

BUSINESS

GUBERNATORIAL APPOINTEES MAY HAVE BREACHED TRUST The state’s appointed trustees operate with little or no independent oversight of how they budget and spend millions of dollars. »1K

Early estimates place the property damage well in excess of $110 million, but experts say the economic impact will be harder to quantify and will likely reverberate for months to come.

TRAVEL

VISIT COLORADO Top destinations to check out with your family. »10E

“I think the consequences of this fire will far exceed our imagination,” said Fred Crowley, an economics professor at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. He estimated the economic impact at “millions upon millions of dollars.” Julie Vance, whose family has owned the Americas Best Value Inn Villa Motel in Manitou Springs since 1984, is among those feeling the pinch. The motel was evacuated — along with the FIRE » 12A

DENVER & THE WEST

MONSOON SEASON LIVES UP TO NAME SATURDAY Slow-moving thunderstorms rolled over the Front Range on Saturday, prompting more flash-flood warnings and mudslides. »2B

Candidates take a swing at 3 counties By Karen E. Crummy The Denver Post

They are middle-income 46-yearolds. Men slightly outnumber women. Their exact racial and ethnic breakdown is unknown, but most live in cities that are predominantly white and non-Latino. These are the unaffiliated voters in Colorado’s three swing counties who will determine who wins Colorado and perhaps the presidency, according to a Denver Post analysis that blended voter-registration data with U.S. census statistics. When President Barack Obama won Colorado four years ago, 30 percent of all votes cast in the state came from Arapahoe, Jefferson and Larimer counties (Obama won all three). And those counties boast one-third — 213,610 people — of all registered unaffiliated voters in Colorado. VOTERS » 10A

12A» NEWS

sunday, july 8, 2012 B denverpost.com B the denver post

FIRE «FROM 1A rest of Manitou Springs — in the early hours of June 24. That night, Vance had to give refunds to every guest. And she has been receiving cancellations ever since. “Our property was empty in about 20 minutes that night,” she said. “Our bank account took about 48 hours to empty.” Eighty percent of the reservations fell off the books through mid-July, she said, adding that she will have to take out a second mortgage on the property for cash to keep the operation going through the winter. Michele Starling, executive director of Pikes Peak Country Attractions, said 10 major tourist attractions — including Garden of the Gods and the Pikes Peak Highway and Cog Railway — were closed during the height of the fire. “In general, our attractions are probably down 30 percent to 40 percent from where they normally would be,” she said. “Some were closed for over a week. This should have been high season. The really difficult thing is they can’t make up for this. We have such a short summer season. This could not have happened at a worse time.” Manitou Springs — a tourist town west of Colorado Springs — is normally packed with visitors this time of year. Parking is difficult to find, and sidewalk traffic is shoulder to shoulder. People come to shop for curios, sample mineral waters in the 11 natural springs or ride the cog railway to the top of Pikes Peak. But on Friday morning, parking spaces were ample and pedestrian traffic light — akin to a spring day, not the peak of summer. Out-of-state tourists appear to be staying away because of the headlinemaking fire and word of the evacuation order, which for Manitou Springs was lifted the next day as the fire moved north. Motels and hotels are only 10 percent full, restaurants are doing only 40 percent of their normal business, and tourist shops are experiencing a downturn. “We’re down 45 percent a day,” said Tim Haas, vice president of TAT Enterprises, which operates four gift shops in Manitou, including the Garden of the Gods Trading Post that was closed for a week. The business had to lay off 35 people. July sales normally bring in 25 percent of the Trading Post’s annual revenue. “The timing couldn’t be worse,” Haas said. “The loss of one day in July is almost like losing two weeks in the offseason. It’s so significant.” Roger Miller, chief operating officer for the Manitou Springs Economic Development Council, said: “We’re down close to $2 million in revenue over the last couple of weeks. Seventy-four people have been laid off, and a large number of people have had their hours reduced. You see that in the fall and winter but not in the peak season.” Even though local support is coming in, with “cash mobs” aimed at bringing business to the suffering communities, shops are hurting. “Last week was horrible,” said Christine Georgopoulos, owner of Marika’s Coffee House. “We were down 65 percent saleswise. The kicker is that everyone was gearing up for a good season. Then, in an instant, it all changed. All of a sudden, this little spot fire turned into this massive forest fire.” Steve Ducoff, executive director of the Pikes Peak Lodging Association, said his group was working with state officials, “trying to pass the word that

Richard Starkey of the Dulcimer Shop talks with customers Janie and Stuart Allen on Friday at his shop on Manitou Avenue in Manitou Springs. He says the shop has suffered since the Waldo Canyon fire started June 23. “It’s been slow,” he says. “It's been real slow. I’m not sure of the numbers, but we’re at least 75 percent off. Hopefully, we’ll start getting folks down here. ... We just have to get the word out to the rest of the country that Colorado is not burning.” Local residents and “cash mobs” have been making efforts to support the town’s businesses. Photos by Craig F. Walker, The Denver Post

Clearing the smoke. Updates on the aftermath of the Waldo Canyon fire. »denverpost.com/wildfires

we didn’t burn to the ground and that we’re open for business.” “The mom-and-pop shops, the little bed-and-breakfasts — those are the ones that need a lot of help,” he said. Chelsy Murphy, spokeswoman for the Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau, said various community members have formed the Pikes Peak Regional Economic Recovery Team to assist businesses affected by the fire. Murphy’s organization also is focusing on upcoming events in hopes of salvaging some of the summer season. The Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo begins Tuesday. The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, originally set for this weekend, has been rescheduled for Aug. 12. Stage 5 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge will be in Colorado Springs on Aug. 24. The bureau’s website contains a page of detailed, updated information about the fire, along with information about lodging and attractions. Other businesses also have posted messages prominently on their websites. Even the Broadmoor resort featured a statement from president and chief executive Stephen Bartolin Jr. noting that other than “some light smoke during the early days of the fire, we were otherwise not affected. … If you have decided to change your plans, I ask for your reconsideration. I assure you that The Broadmoor is operating in full

Christine Georgopoulos, owner of Marika’s Coffee House, works behind the counter Friday at her shop in Manitou Springs. She says her business has suffered since the Waldo Canyon fire began last month. “Last week was horrible,” she said. “We were down 65 percent saleswise. The kicker is that everyone was gearing up for a good season. Then, in an instant, it all changed. All of a sudden, this little spot fire turned into this massive forest fire.” Nationwide news of the fire has slashed tourism business in the town. glory.” Business owners and economic-development officials agree that locals are stepping up to support their businesses but that spreading the message that the city is open for business remains the biggest challenge. “The locals are doing a fantastic job helping out the shops,” said Vance, of Americas Best Value Inn Villa Motel.

“But we have to get our tourists back.” She looked to the hills outside of her city, noting that nothing has changed. After the night the city was evacuated, the fire was held at bay from entering Manitou Springs. It burned into residences farther north in Colorado Springs, but the hillsides of Manitou Springs are as green as ever. “We will sleep well knowing no one

in Manitou Springs was hurt or killed,” she said. “But we will have some sleepless nights wondering how we’ll make it through the winter.” Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com John Mossman: 303-954-1479 or jmossman@denverpost.com

DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS

Manufacturing problems unsanitary, widespread Rodent troubles and uncertain ingredients prompt an FDA official to say, “It’s downright scary.” By Trine Tsouderos Chicago Tribune

chicago» Federal inspections of companies that make dietary supplements — from multivitamins and calcium chews to capsules of echinacea and bodybuilding powders — reveal serious and widespread manufacturing problems in a $28 billion industry that sells products consumed by half of all Americans. In the past four years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found violations of manufacturing rules in half of the nearly 450 dietary-supplement firms it has inspected, according to agency officials. The inspection reports portray an industry struggling to meet basic manufacturing standards, from verifying the identity of the ingredients that go

into its products to inspecting finished batches of supplements. Some firms don’t even have recipes, known as master manufacturing records, for their products. Others make their supplements in unsanitary factories. New Jerseybased Quality Formulation Laboratories produced protein-powder mixes and other supplements in a facility infested with rodents, rodent feces and urine, according to government records. FDA inspectors found a rodent apparently cut in half next to a scoop, according to a 2008 inspection report. “It’s downright scary,” said Daniel Fabricant, head of the FDA’s Division of Dietary Supplement Programs. “At least half of the industry is failing on its face.” The FDA began conducting inspections in 2008 to assess compliance with new regulations governing the

manufacturing, packing and holding of dietary supplements. Since then, 1 in every 4 dietary-supplement companies inspected by the agency have received a warning letter, considered a significant enforcement action. So far this year, FDA inspectors have found violations of good manufacturing practices during two-thirds of the 204 inspections they have conducted in nearly 200 supplement firms’ facilities, agency officials said. Seventy of these inspections resulted in the agency’s most serious rating. Cara Welch, vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs for the Natural Products Association, a large dietary-supplement trade group based in Washington, D.C., called the inspection numbers “unfortunate” and a significant issue her organization has been tackling. “We can’t give up on the industry,” Welch said. “We are going to make it as strong as can be.” Manufacturers large and small are

making efforts to implement the regulations, including sections borrowed from the FDA’s drug-manufacturing rules, said Michael McGuffin, president of the American Herbal Products Association, a trade association based in Silver Spring, Md. But it takes time for companies to come into compliance with such a large and complex set of rules and for the FDA to establish how the rules will be enforced, McGuffin said. “Not everybody was in compliance on the day the rule was passed, but that is not uncommon in any rulemaking,” he said. In 2008, more than 200 people — including a 4-year-old — were poisoned by selenium after taking liquid multivitamin dietary supplements that were sold in health stores and by chiropractors, according to a medical paper published on the mass poisoning. The products, called Total Body Formula and Total Body Mega Formula, contained an average of 40,800 micrograms of selenium per serving instead

of 200, according to the paper. John Adams, of Chipley, Fla., was one of the victims. His silver hair — which had earned him the nickname “Silvertop” at work — began falling out in clumps. His fingernails and toenails became discolored, peeled off, regrew and peeled off again. He had a hard time remembering how to do his job as a telephone repairman. He became so weak, it was hard to get in and out of his work truck, and eventually he was forced to retire. Adams and his wife, who also experienced problems, sued along with dozens of others. This year, the couple received a settlement. Adams, now 65, said he is still weak on his left side, has ruined fingernails and toenails that do not grow and struggles with memory problems. “What is a person in America to do to be healthy?” Adams wrote in an email. “Who can you trust? Not the supplement industry because it does not take long for a tainted product to make you very sick.”

SEASON GONE WRONG HAS BRIGHT SPOT

Underground Music Showcase » 1C

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Governor: Trustee system needs an overhaul. »9A

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FRIDAY, JULY 13, 2012

Free delivery: Sign up for The Post’s afternoon newsletter, which is e-mailed to you. »denverpost.com/breakingnews

Dental patients warned Colorado health officials say Denver’s Dr. Stephen Stein reused sedation syringes for nearly 12 years. By Michael Booth and Joey Bunch The Denver Post

A dentist with offices in Highlands Ranch and Cherry Creek reused sedation syringes on patients for nearly 12 years, according to state health officials who are asking thousands of his surgical patients to get tested for

“

HIV and hepatitis. State officials said Dr. Stephen Stein hasn’t practiced since June 2011, and another oral surgeon not accused of any wrongdoing took over the office. Stein could not be reached for comment, and the other surgeon, Dr. Jeremy Miner, declined to comment. “Needles and syringes were used repeat-

edly, often for days at a time,” according to a question-and-answer page on the state website. State officials said they do not believe there are risks to Stein patients who got only local, oral anesthetic shots. No infections have been reported so far, officials said. The state is dealing with at least 8,000 patient records, according to Colorado public health director Dr. Chris Urbina. In addition to seeking potential victims by going public with information about the syringes, the state is sending letters to patients

who may have received IV sedation from a reused syringe. Patients immediately began searching for help getting testing, and legal and medical experts expressed outrage at the apparent breach of safe practice. Peggy Salyers of Idaho sought testing information for her disabled sister, who she said had, under IV sedation in 2000, wisdom teeth pulled by Stein’s practice. Hollynd Hoskins, a Denver attorney who

When a fireball came downhill at 65 miles an hour, blew open the garage doors, engulfed the house and burned it down in seven or eight minutes — they said there wasn’t a thing we could have done to save it.” Homeowner Dick Hansen, on the Waldo Canyon Fire

DENTIST » 7A

Dr. Stephen Stein hasn’t practiced since June 2011.

P EN N STATE CA S E

Inquiry faults Paterno, o∞cials An investigative report says the football coach and others covered up Jerry Sandusky’s sexual abuse of children. By Amy Shipley and Jenna Johnson The Washington Post

Andrew Notbohm, wildfire-mitigation program coordinator for the Colorado Springs Fire Department, said mitigation techniques such as a composite deck with a metal railing helped save this house in the Mountain Shadows area. Stephen Mitchell, The Denver Post

RISKMANAGEMENT

In Waldo Canyon burn area, many residents took protective measures — and some didn’t By David Olinger The Denver Post

colorado springs» For a decade, the Colorado Springs Fire Department has worked aggressively to protect more than 36,000 vulnerable homes from wildfire in the foothills of Pikes Peak. When the fire everyone feared roared into the city last month, those efforts failed to save nearly 350 houses in one neighborhood — but succeeded spectacularly in another. In Cedar Heights, a hillside neighborhood that the fire approached from three directions, many homes were rated as “extreme” risks in a wildfire,

the worst possible rating. Yet not one house burned, thanks to a forest-thinning mitigation project that stopped the fire a half-mile away. “We had one community that was threatened … and didn’t lose anything,” Fire Marshal Brett Lacey said, “and then we had one that in one afternoon got creamed.” In the Mountain Shadows neighborhood, 71 of the houses destroyed by the Waldo Canyon fire were rated “high” or “very high” fire risks by the city fire marshal’s office. Most had been built in dangerous terrain and had little defensible space RISK » 6A

Four of Penn State University’s most powerful leaders, including president Graham Spanier and football coach Joe Paterno, covered up allegations of sexual abuse by an assistant coach because they were concerned about negative publicity, a team of investigators concluded in a report released Thursday following an eight-month probe. Confronted with horrifying reports that Jerry Sandusky lured boys to the State College, Pa., campus where he sexually abused them, Penn State’s leadership deferred to a “culture of reverence for the football program” and repeatedly “concealed Sandusky’s activities” from authorities, according to the investigation led by former FBI Director Louis Freeh. “Our most saddening and sobering finding is the total disregard for the safety and welfare of Sandusky’s child victims by the most senior leaders at Penn State,” Freeh said during a news conference Thursday. The probe, which includes previously unknown e-mails, deals a crushing blow to the legacy of Paterno, the late coach who took pride in running an honorable program and whose reputaSCANDAL » 7A

dp Online: Read the Penn On Brogans Bluff, 20 of 26 houses rated as moderate risks in a wildfire survived. Half of the high-risk homes burned. John Wark, Special to The Denver Post

State report, and watch video of Louis Freeh’s comments on its findings. »denverpost.com/extras

Inside: More about the key players in the scandal. »7A

Impact: Harsh words in the report

DOZENS MAY HAVE VOTED ILLEGALLY

A check of immigration detentions in Colorado’s nine largest counties by Secretary of State Scott Gessler’s office finds dozens who may have voted illegally. »4A

FILINGS CONTRADICT ROMNEY’S BAIN TIMETABLE

President Barack Obama’s campaign pounces on documents that indicate Mitt Romney sat at the helm of venture capital firm Bain Capital longer than the presumptive Republican nominee has said. »15A

have familiar ring in Boulder. »1B

Mark Kiszla: Let Joe Paterno’s statue stand — for his wins and losses. »1B

6A» NEWS

Fire mitigation efforts Cedar shake, cedar shake, cedar shake, cedar shake — four in a row. Boy, you The catastrophic nature of the Waldo Canyon fire meant some homes get hot embers rolling here. …”Andrew Notbohm, coordinator of the wildfire-mitigation program were destroyed even when owners took precautions to protect their

RISK «FROM 1A

Losing his house did not change his opinion about the value of wildfire risk mitigation. Rather, “it’s more important than I ever imagined,” he said. In the decade since the devastating Hayman fire scorched the forest west of Colorado Springs, the Fire Department has embarked on an ambitious program to protect a city where one in every four people inhabit a wildfire zone. In 2003, the city banned wood shingles on all new homes and roof replacements. The fire marshal’s office then used a 25category scoring system — including everything from property slope and nearness to forests to house-construction materials and defensible space — to rate the wildfire hazard of every house in the wildfire zone. It now works with 65 neighborhood groups to clear out dead brush, thin pine stands and promote nonflammable building materials. With a federal pre-disaster mitigation grant, the fire marshal’s office and the Cedar Heights neighborhood had been working for two years to clear out half-dead stands of Gambel oak and thin Ponderosa pines in Solitude Park, a preserve above the homes. When the Waldo Canyon fire erupted, the flames burned over a ridge right into the park — and burned out a few steps into the cleared area. Along Cedar Heights Drive, a winding hillside street with spectacular views of the city below, fresh piles of brush lay on the curb this week, waiting for the fire marshal’s office to chip them up and haul them away. One homeowner has posted a sign: “Thanks Andrew and CSFD Mitigation Team.” Andrew Notbohm, the wildfire-mitigation program coordinator for the Fire Department, smiled as he drove by. “Awareness and interest has gone through the darn roof,” he said.

Mitigation’s difference In the Mountain Shadows neighborhood, the risk map suggests that mitigation made a big difference on some streets. On Brogans Bluff Drive, for example, 20 of 26 houses rated as medium risk survived, but only 12 of 25 houses with high or veryhigh risk ratings did the same. At 5505 Darien Way, a previous homeowner had eliminated the juniper, cleared brush, limbed lower branches on trees and put in a composite deck with a metal

railing and a rock bed below. The house itself is stucco. The Waldo Canyon fire blackened the hill below, leaving nothing but yucca — and stopped three steps short of the house. Because the fire ended there, two houses with wood roofs up the street were untouched. “A textbook case,” Notbohm said. But on other streets, “I’m not sure what mitigation efforts could have helped — it was just so extreme,” he said. He helped battle the fire near Majestic Drive, where 74 consecutive houses burned, watching embers fly everywhere and hearing what sounded like gun battles as homeowners’ ammunition supplies exploded. The fire left a landscape of ash, twisted metal and basements. Lacey, the fire marshal, said he was most surprised at how the fire was spread by the rustic cedar fences in Mountain Shadows, which “became as problematic as the combustible roofing.” He also suspects that unscreened attic vents exposed some houses with nonflammable roofs. “My tummy is telling me that it was embers that got into the

attics of those homes that started the fire,” he said.

Not always effective Notbohm felt heartbroken when he heard Dick and Francine Hansen had lost their home. Dick Hansen had put a metal roof on his house. He put in a fire-resistant deck with a metal railing. He thinned the pines behind the house. He took time on a hot July day to help cut trees in a neighborhood common area. In his attention to detail, “he would even ask me, ‘What do you think about this branch?’ ” Notbohm recalled. Hansen said if the fire “had come up the back side, we’d have been OK. We had defensible space there.” Instead, the fire roared downhill, jumped the street and took his house. He and his wife have decided to rebuild — and to keep trying to protect their neighborhood. “I’m about to organize another chipping event next month,” he said. David Olinger: 303-954-1498, dolinger@denverpost.com or twitter.com/dolingerdp

Images: View before and after photos of houses destroyed by the Waldo Canyon fire. »denverpost.com/wildfires

Dick Hansen put a noncombustible roof and deck on his house, thinned the pines below it and led neighborhood efforts to protect their community from the threat of wildfire. But his labors were no match for a fireball that roared down a ridge, jumped the street and consumed his house. Pike National Forest

Waldo Creek fire perimeter

COLORADO

cedar heights

Garden of the Gods Park

The Cedar Heights neighborhood and the city fire marshal’s office worked together to create a buffer zone in a forested area a half mile above their homes. The Waldo Canyon fire came over a ridge, struck the buffer zone – and stopped there.

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Source: Fire marshal’s office; city of Colorado Springs; InciWeb.org

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Wood roofs aplenty Yet even in this neighborhood, where the fire marshal’s wildfire-hazard map rates some homes in “extreme” danger, an occasional cedar roof pokes through the trees. Notbohm points one out. “We still have a lot of work to do,” he said. In Solitude Park, a remarkably clear line separates the burned area, covered in a deep, soft layer of ash, from the thinned forest, where Ponderosa pines survived with charred trunks and green branches. In places, the edge is so stark that pines stand half-green and halfbrown. Dick Standaert, a homeowner who participated in this project, stood at the fire line’s edge this week, gazing at the thick, dry forest leading to hundreds of homes half a mile below. “If it hadn’t stopped here,” he said, “the neighborhood’s gone.” Cedar Heights is one of a dozen Colorado Springs neighborhoods that remain at least as vulnerable to wildfire as Moun-

mountain shadows

oad ch R an WR

Department takes steps

tain Shadows, according to the fire marshal’s risk map. In Rockrimmon, one of the city’s older neighborhoods, wood homes with wood roofs are common. In Peregrine Valley, tall stands of pine trees envelop some houses. In Country Broadmoor, near the city’s famed resort hotel, a neighborhood covenant once required cedar as a roof material. Many remain. “Cedar shake, cedar shake, cedar shake, cedar shake — four in a row,” Notbohm said as he drove through the neighborhood. “Boy, you get hot embers rolling here ....”

Flyi n g

around them. At least 20 also had wood roofs or siding, which posed a huge problem because the shingles flew off and spread fire to other houses. But the fire marshal’s houseby-house risk map also shows many Mountain Shadows homeowners were just unlucky. More than 270 houses rated as moderate risks were destroyed when the Waldo Canyon fire roared down a ridge, incinerating entire streets. The victims included Dick and Francine Hansen, who had led neighborhood efforts to reduce wildfire risks in Mountain Shadows and labored to make their own home more defensible. The fire left nothing but the brick archway entrance to their house standing. “When a fireball came downhill at 65 miles an hour, blew open the garage doors, engulfed the house and burned it down in seven or eight minutes — they said there wasn’t a thing we could have done to save it,” Dick Hansen said.

homes. But in the Cedar Heights neighborhood, efforts to thin out trees and dead wood likely saved homes.

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friday, july 13, 2012 B denverpost.com B the denver post

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