A River Runs Black

Most people are aware of all the fires that were burning in Colorado (and other states in the west too) in the last month. The first I heard about it was from a friend who  texted me that my alma mater's wonderful field camp, Pingree Park, could be in danger. I had seen the aftermath of a fire in 1994 that had burned much of the campus there so I was concerned again for my "favorite place". I spent two summers living there as a young adult and will always consider it paradise. Thankfully it was spared this fire season and instead served as a base for firefighters.

Then I started getting emails from my Dad about that fire and the one outside Colorado Springs. I have friends who live all over the front range and some were posting photos on their Facebook page of the fire right out their back door. It was quite nerve wracking to see my childhood home state burning like that and knowing that people I care about could be in danger. I watched and waited and finally the fires were contained and no one that I know suffered extensive damage to life or property.

Well, there is more that happens after massive fires such as these. Not long after they were contained there were strong rainstorms in the northern part of the state that washed away the hillsides in the High Park Fire area. People were evacuated to avoid mudslides. My dad sent me this amazing video of the Cache LaPoudre river running high and black with all the runoff from the burned hillsides.The news reports were interesting but this video of kayakers in the Narrows section of the river show the aftermath in a different light.

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