Firefighters made progress last week in fighting a blaze that has devoured more than 18,000 acres in Colorado, but their sense of accomplishment was tempered by the news that nearly 350 homes in Colorado Springs had been destroyed by the flames.
Mayor Steve Bach, citing preliminary numbers, told reporters that 346 residences on 34 streets were destroyed. A meeting was planned last Thursday night for residents of specific streets affected by the Waldo Canyon Fire, Bach said.
“This is going to be a tough evening, but we’re going to get through it,” he said. “This community is going to mount an unprecedented response to this. This community is going to surround them with love and encouragement, and we are going to move forward as a city.”
The blaze, which has chased 36,000 people from their homes in the city, was estimated to be at 10% containment, incident commander Rich Harvey said. Calmer winds and lower temperatures last week helped firefighters in fighting the blaze.
From CNN News: https://www.cnn.com/2012/06/28/us/western-wildfires/index.html?hpt=hp_t2