No dramatic photos from me today, which is a blessing.

Today’s evacuations: Woodland Park, Crystola, Pleasant Valley

Pre-evacuations: Holland Park, Monument west of I-25, Palmer Lake

Highway 24 won’t be open until after the weekend, at the earliest.

My impression–with the qualification that this is gleaned from the news coverage and my own observations, not any sort of expertise–is that the fire, while it has tripled since yesterday (reaching 18,500 acres), did not move further into the city today. I believe the evacuations were a precaution because of how quickly the fire moved yesterday and because of high wind gusts forecast for today. Firefighters spent the day trying to save homes still standing in Mountain Shadows and Peregrine, putting out spot fires that sparked from embers. We had light rain this afternoon; I don’t know if that helped, hindered, or didn’t affect the efforts. A news helicopter was able to fly over Peregrine this morning and show some of the damage; complete streets have been destroyed, while others seem virtually untouched. Sometimes a burned-out husk of a home stands next to a building that looks perfect. What we’re hearing tonight is that at least 200 homes have burned, but until the fires are completely out in those areas, there won’t be an accurate count.

Right now the fire is moving north, and the plan is to focus tomorrow’s efforts on containing the fire at the Air Force Academy’s southern boundary. Here is a map of the perimeter (you may have to wait a second after the map loads for the fire graphic to show up) from one of the local news stations. If you are familiar with Colorado Springs, this may help you see exactly what’s going on.

Today’s news coverage focused a lot on yesterday, with time-lapse video of the fire crossing the ridge and replays of interviews. I take this as a good sign; nothing catastrophic happened that took over all coverage, the way yesterday’s “perfect firestorm” did. Tonight the sportscaster even came on, which hasn’t happened at all this week that I can remember.

During the late morning, I had to drive downtown for an appointment. The view toward the mountains seemed crisp and sharp, like this was any normal summer day. Only when you looked to the north and saw the massive cloud of smoke could you see just how wrong things are. And then, of course, getting out of the car, I saw ashes in the air and smelled that overpowering odor. I have always loved the smell of campfires and woodsmoke; I don’t know if I ever will again.

Two National Guard Blackhawk helicopters are en route, and there are more than 1,000 firefighters working on the fire, with more on the way. President Obama is coming Friday to see the damage. Still no reported injuries or deaths, although some firefighters are experiencing altitude sickness and the emergency rooms are seeing an influx of people with breathing problems.

So far, no cause has been determined for the fire. Investigators have not been able to get anywhere near the ignition site. But the general consensus is arson. An arsonist was active in Teller County (the county beside us to the west, just up Ute Pass from Waldo Canyon) last week, setting around 20 fires. Naturally, people wonder if the same person set this fire. Waldo Canyon is also a popular hiking spot, so the cause could be something as careless and asinine as a cast-off cigarette or an illegal campfire. (We’ve heard reports of people still idiotically tossing cigarette butts out of car windows, and some morons have even been setting off firecrackers.) This link showed up in the comments on my last post, and I think it’s worth re-posting here: Waldo Canyon Fire–Shame on You. I hope everyone who is still being careless with flames–as well as the arsonist(s) in Colorado–reads this, is thoroughly shamed, and stops putting the rest of us, our families and pets, and our homes at risk

On a personal note, my nephew and niece (from Colorado) are in Indiana this week with my sister-in-law’s family, while their parents are working on the Navajo Reservation in Utah. I’m very grateful that these kids I love so much are not here right now. Because of the thick smoke in the air, they wouldn’t be able to engage in any of their favorite outside activities–playing in the sandbox, blowing bubbles, going to the zoo. Instead they get to spend time with relatives who only see them a few times a year and adore them, so it’s good for everyone.

I appreciate all the thoughts and prayers being sent toward Colorado Springs. I’ll try to update this blog at least daily. If you’re reading and have questions about whether the fire has spread to certain areas, you’re welcome to contact me or post in the comments, and I’ll do my best to answer. Again, I have no qualifications or authority except that I live here and am immersed in the coverage; I may or may not have access to info that hasn’t been nationally disseminated. If you’re wondering about a specific street in Mountain Shadows or Peregrine, it’s very unlikely that I’ll be able to provide an answer–at this point, because of the continued flare-ups and ongoing danger to structures, there is minimal information available about which streets and houses have or haven’t burned.

I hope you and your families, friends, pets, and homes remain safe.