August 1st 2024.
On Wednesday, as wildfires raged across the Front Range, some people chose to leave their homes while others decided to stay on their land, which already required a lot of self-sufficiency. At Dakota Ridge High School, which was serving as an evacuation site for the Quarry fire near Deer Creek Canyon in Jefferson County, John Banks could be seen coughing in the parking lot. The smoke from the fire was thick in the air, threatening his neighborhood.
John and his wife, Diane, had received a call at 1:30 in the morning ordering them to evacuate. They left their home with their rescue cat, Mea, and a few essential items such as medications, clothes, and John's oxygen tanks and cancer medications. They had been living in their home for 34 years and had to leave everything else behind.
John, who is 78 years old, remarked that material possessions are just things and can be replaced. He then became emotional, saying that even if they lost everything, they still had their friends and family. The couple found a hotel to stay in for the night and planned to attend their pre-scheduled doctor appointments the next day. John philosophically stated that life can throw unexpected challenges, but one must keep moving forward.
When they arrived at the evacuation center at 3 in the morning, they were one of the first to arrive. By 9 am, the parking lot was filled with dozens of cars, as almost 600 households had been ordered to evacuate. Some evacuees took their dogs for a walk, while a fire department crew from Denver suited up to respond to the fire. Elden Coombs, who is 85 years old, sat in the shade with his neighbors, anxiously waiting for updates. He had lived in the Homewood Park neighborhood since 1969 and had experienced two previous fires, a blizzard, and two floods. He left his home at 2 am, taking only some clothes, important documents, and his medicine.
Meanwhile, at the frontlines of the Stone Canyon fire, north of Lyons, Boulder County sheriff's Sgt. Cody Sears was patrolling the areas that were still untouched by the flames. He stated that everything was under control, but they were keeping an eye on the wind, which could change the situation. He had been to an area where the flames had spread to the northeast, endangering houses a few miles from Lyons. He then went to areas that were straddling Boulder and Larimer counties, where some residents had chosen to stay and protect their land.
Amidst the smoke, Sgt. Sears noticed two horses and immediately alerted the county's animal control crews. However, upon reaching the homes in that area, they found that the residents were well-prepared and in control. Carmen Roberts, who had lived in the area for over 30 years, came to the door and told Sgt. Sears that they had stayed the night and were ready to evacuate if needed. She mentioned that they had everything packed and were keeping an eye on the situation. She also acknowledged that fire hazards have increased due to more people moving into the area.
Further up the Stone Canyon, business owner Matthew Lee had spent the night on his 80-acre property, where he had grazed cattle before moving them away three weeks ago. He had parked his truck down the hill and was leaning against it, looking up at the fire. He had chosen not to evacuate, like many other self-reliant residents in the foothills. He praised Colorado's approach of aggressive fire suppression, stating that he had never seen so many air shows before. He also appreciated the efforts of the firefighters who were dousing the flames before they could spread further. He concluded by saying that it had been an intense night, but he was grateful for the firefighters' efforts.
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