Latest News: Colorado rain could ease fires but cause floods



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Updated

DENVER (AP) – The latest on forest fires in the western United States (all local weather):

14:30

forecasts on parts of Colorado, promising some relief for firefighters but threatening to spark flash floods on erodible flanks where trees and bushes burned.

Mark Wankowski, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Pueblo, says even little rain can cause a flood on a burn scar.

A flash flood watch was in effect Thursday for a Colorado strip just east of the mountains. Forecasters say rain is also forecast in southwestern Colorado

Forecasters are wondering if this is the beginning of the annual monsoon that brings rain to the southwest every summer or if that will arrive later. But they say the rainy weather could last all weekend.

Dennis Phillips, a meteorologist from the Grand Junction meteorological department, says the storms will be very extensive and that a large area could be watered.

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12:40

The Air Force sends two additional tankers to help fight the massive forest fires in Colorado.

The military announced Thursday that the specially equipped C-130s would depart from Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. They will join two other C-130s that started firefighting work on Monday

A modular system of pumps and tanks is loaded into the hold of planes, allowing them to dump 3,000 gallons of water or of fire retardants in 5 seconds. 19659029] Recently enlisted aircraft come from the Wyoming National Air Guard in Cheyenne and the Nevada Air National Guard in Reno. The two aircraft already on the scene come from a unit of the Air Force Reserve at Peterson

More than half a dozen big fires burn in Colorado.

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12 h

A ranch in northern New Mexico where the novelist DH Lawrence sought to renew himself spiritually because of a nearby wildfire

The National Forest of Carson imposed restrictions last week closing the Lawrence Ranch DH of the University of New Mexico

a fire in the drought-stricken forest burned nearly 4 square miles (10 square kilometers) since the 24 June and is only partially contained. The fire is under investigation.

Lawrence and his wife, Frieda, make summer visits to the ranch in 1924 and 1925. After Lawrence's death in 1930, the ranch still hosts many famous visitors. Among them, the Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung, the author Willa Cather and the artist Georgia O. Keeffe.

Frieda Lawrence, deceased in 1956, left the property to the school in her will

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10:40 A Colorado wildfire destroyed three houses after tracer shots were fired shot on the flames.

Firefighters worked all night to protect homes near Basalt, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of Aspen. But they say the houses burned during extreme fire and a shower of embers.

The fires usually calm down after dark, but a neighborhood had to be evacuated in the middle of the night because the fire was still active. More than 500 houses have been evacuated.

Two people received tickets for using tracer ammunition that illuminate the path of fired bullets.

Another Colorado fire destroyed more than 100 homes. The half dozen fires in the state are among dozens burning across the western United States

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10:40 am

Officials say that cool weather has does little to help a massive fire in northern California that threatens more than 1,400 buildings

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection announced on Thursday that the forest fires northwest of Sacramento reached an area of ​​347 square kilometers.

But Cal Fire says crews have gained ground.

About 2,500 people have been forced to leave their homes since the beginning of the fire on Saturday. The authorities have lifted some mandatory evacuations, but it is unclear how many people have been allowed to return home.

No structures were damaged or destroyed.

This is one of more than 60 fires burning in the western United States.

9:20 am

A growing forest fire in Utah near a popular fishing tank forced the closure of a highway

Strong winds, the heat and very dry conditions feed the fire near the Strawberry tank. miles (130 kilometers) southeast of Salt Lake City. Officials say that he burned 66 square miles (171 square kilometers) and destroyed about 30 structures.

The Utah Transportation Department said Thursday that it did not estimate the time to reopen US Highway 40 between Duchesne and Wasatch counties.

The Division of Forests, Fires and Land of the State of Utah indicates that the fire is largely uncontrollable

The agency believes that people l & rsquo; Set in motion, but an exact cause was not made.

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9:10

Officials claim to have ordered more people to evacuate a forest fire in western Colorado that was allegedly triggered by tracer bullets.

Authorities told an undetermined number of residents of a neighborhood about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of Aspen to flee early Thursday.

About 500 homes in another neighbor Before the last evacuations, US authorities announced funding to fight the Lake Christine fire and declared that it was also threatening a large power grid and a source of electricity. primary water.

Two people were evacuated.

Another forest fire about 300 kilometers southwest of Denver destroyed more than 100 houses and forced more than 2,000 people to evacuate.

More than 60 fires burn in the western United States


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