A Time of Needed Help

We are experiencing an era of severe weather patterns that alter our landscapes and lifestyles; we seem to know this. Each season brings it own chaotic climatatic outcomes to any regions of our country. Mainstream news coverage now regularly includes statistics of hurricanes, tornados, wind storms, and fires.

Each phenomena delivers elements that cause living and breathing things in the path of the disaster to move, climb, relocate in panic and fear. The result of being able to return and resume life and routine is becoming increasingly difficult and in some cases, impossible. Often public and private properties are wrecked, resulting in huge costs.  I ask myself, "Are these weather related events becoming more disasterous (prompting news media to use such terms as"super", "mega", "perfect") or is it that we exist closer to and even in disaster areas?" Of course, we expect that we are able to dictate how we live. That attitude may not continue to be possible. But helping one another in an aftermath may become the way to continue.

I live in a region where wildfires began and became rampent in spring of 2012 and continued into the fall.  One, appropriately named the High Park fire, burned over 87, 000 acresone, including 259 homes, along with valuable montane forested areas - crucial for recreation, wildlife,  and watershed processes. The recent estimate for the HPF is $39 million.

Since the fire, numerous land recovery and restoration volunteer events have occured. These well-orchestrated programs have attracted up to 200 volunteers depending on tasks' objectives. One term for such projects is BAER (burn area emergency response). Wildlands Restoration Volunteers (WLRV) and other nonprofit organizations swiftly colaborated with state and federal agencies to get into the back country burned areas. One mission: to do what we could to mitigate ash and debris from sliding into the Cache La Poudre River. CLP's watershed areas are significant for forest health and water safety along the Front Range.

One Friday morning, as I enjoyed a warm hearty breakfast borrito in a designated parking area with a substantial group of people I did not know, the person standing next to me stated, "I called into work today". I asumed he meant this volunteer opportunity and the learning curve meant more than perhaps sitting at a desk did - at least for today.  I nodded in approval as we waited for the transportation set up to begin.  We were heading up and into Risk Canyon. I will never forget that day...the hard work, the commaradre, the organized approach of the operation, and the rewarding sense that I had given back something, at a time of needed help.

Is the ongoing experience of living and working along-side-of and within the High Park fire area (Colorado 6/2012) offering us yet one-more-chance to look at, and evaluate seriously, how we operate day-to-day; how we choose to live; and how we grasp what is facing us as well as telling us - straight out - "You've got to 'get it' this time."

Today I "had to" (really?)  drive down to the Denver area. I did so under blue skies and high temperatures. I ventured out wondering, "  I think the High Park fire is under control? My thoughts were dashed when I departed hasitily from north Denver area and headed back up to Fort Collins.  I saw the long plumb of smoke extending from the foot hills to far east. I became worried about air quality. Melody was outside. Would she know enough to go under the shade of the apricot tree? Did she observe my placing cool, clean water out on "her eating mat" at noon? I felt paniced, needing to return home.

In what seemed as a shroud of smoke, with the sun looking pumpkin orange, I arrived back to Fort Collins.  Melody and I went right inside. Mercifully, I had closed windows before I left.

The High Park fire has consumed 55, 000 acres of nothern Colorado in 1 week; many homes, barns, and additional edifacies of rural living are gone; animals have hopefully been relocated; decision-makers are being tested, wildland firefighters seem like genuine heros, and land owners are loosing patience and we are not finished.

So I again ask: "What is it that we are 'to get' from this experience?" Have we gone too far? Have our lifestyle choices, as well as our governmtnet decisions turned on us?  The learning curve seems steep.

And now...the High Park fire

Almost a year to the day, since my last blog "What's Next for Wildlife Living with the Dendroctonus ponderosae", I have been evacuated from my job site, Lory State Park, due to the ongoing High Park fire that began Saturday June 9 early in the morning. Lightening struck dry, dry fuel riddled with the efforts of the mountain pine beetles.

 We are in the 7th day and over 52,000 acres have been burned. Hundreds of residents from the Poudre Canyon area, Bellvue, Glacier View and more are staying/living elsewhere. Many know that their homes have been destroyed, others are waiting to learn. Pets are being cared for by well-meaning Fort Collins people and agencies; larger mammals are at the Event Center (between Loveland and Fort Collins) and quite honestly, from what I saw 2 days ago, looking pretty daggone good - lots of attention from a lot of volunteers. I wanted to stay.

 The High Park fire is only 15% contained. The landscape along the foothills of the Front Range of northern Colorado has changed. I still wonder:  where have the black bear gone, the Abert's squirrils, the Mountain lions, the butterflys, the Mule deer, and so much more?

It is a difficult time.

What's next for wildlife living with the Dendroctonus ponderosae?

Those of us fortunate enough to live in Colorado and perhaps even a large percentage of visitors aware enough maybe say that our landscape is changing. This time, I am not referring to more homes being built (developments) or cars being driven (roads). I am speaking/writing of the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) that has been active from the Continental Divide and west for probably 8-10 years but more recently has migrated into the Front Range, increased their tree species attacks, and tenaciously continued on its undiscriminating journey. Up and down the Poudre Canyon, along I-25 looking west, and in a variety of foot hill areas, brown, decayed pines can be spotted, perhaps singularly but mostly in clusters. Beginning in British Columbia and continuing right through the Rocky Mountains, this tiny boring beetle is changing the face of our forests. We see it, scientists know it, all agencies consult about it, experts respond to the insects effects, home owners worry about it, and recreationists gab about it. What I want to know is - how are the animals responding to the change? And what is to come? Just think, one little example: how is the precious Abert's squirrel doing? What is it doing? ...more to come.

Thanks on Thanksgiving Day

I feel grateful today.

Maybe it is because I am not "plugged into" any of the daily grim political, economic, and environmental sites be it radio, computer, TV - not today.

I am pleased to be preparing a dinner that is predominately vegetarian (no longer does this term distress others eating at the same table, as we've all matured), carefully purchased, paid for, and parcelled cooking tasks. Everyone seems pretty content, even the pets and additional visiting dogs. I believe we will have a lovely time, laughter, and contentment. Prehaps tomorrow we will all awaken in our homes feeling more hopeful about the future, more willing to be responsible for our beliefs and actions, and grateful for what we have. These approaches to each day enable increased happiness and wellbeing. We benefit, our families and communities benefit, our country benefits, and mercifully our natural environment benefits.