Waldo Canyon

Back at the end of June while me and the girls were in Utah, the Waldo Canyon Fire started here in Colorado Springs.  I didn't think a whole lot about it when I heard there was a fire on the west side of town....but then a few days after it started, it went crazy.  I watched my Facebook page in horror as I saw all the pictures of the flames, the thick dark smoke, houses burning.  I just couldn't believe that this was really my town.  That was all that was on FB and I felt so isolated being in Utah.  I would get updates from hubby, but I really just couldn't grasp it all being so far away.  Our home was never threatened, but the fire was in familiar territory.....we have hiked in Garden of the Gods, we have camped and fished at Rampart Reservoir, we had driven over in that area of homes that were being evacuated.  It was all too close to home and I wasn't...that was hard for me.

I of course wanted to get pictures, so the night the homes started to burn, my hubby took my old camera and standing outside the mall, took lots of movies and some pictures.......

And these were the pictures I was seeing posted on FB......

It was all so devastating.  Over 300 homes burned....Flying W Ranch was gone too.  For a long time after I got home, I tried to see any sign of the fire from the freeway or anytime I got over close, but I just couldn't tell there was a fire.  I guess I had to see with my own eyes that it really did happen.  So we were over that way as a family about a month afterwards for something else, so we took a drive and I was so shocked at the devastation.  How it burned this house and this house to the ground and their neighbor's house was not even touched.  It was just such a somber car ride as we saw so many lives changed forever.  And the deer....they were everywhere.  It was like they didn't know where to go, where to live anymore.  They were out on the grass in front of the Walgreen's store....it was heartbreaking to see it all.  I had wished I had my camera at that moment to document it.
So this week, a friend and I went over that way to take some pictures.  I feel weird saying it and actually doing it too....it was like we were invading their privacy....their pain and sadness. Was it wrong?  I don't know, but I got some pictures that I think are pretty good to show the aftermath.  I wanted to get more, but as I said, it just felt wrong.

This will be a time in this town history that will never be forgotten.  And a big thanks to those firefighters....they did more than anyone could ever imagine...never can be repaid for their efforts.  They totally rock!