Here's where a large chunk of my night was spent

[ChesCopPodz]

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. - Evacuations have been ordered for Manitou Springs because of the Waldo Canyon Fire.
The sheriff's department tells KRDO NewsChannel 13 that the mandatory evacuations started at 1 a.m. Sunday for everyone north of Manitou Avenue and officials started working their way south through the city. Once you leave Manitou you will not be allowed to re-enter.
There is a temporary shelter set up at Cheyenne Mountain High School. About 150 people have gathered there.
Garden of the Gods is shut and officials want you to stay off Rampart Range Road so crews can do their work.
Cedar Heights, a gated community near U.S. 24 and Manitou Ave and Mountain Shadows south of Chuckwagon are under mandatory evacuation. Boundaries are Rampart Range Road and everything west of 30th and Centennial from Gateway Road north to Chuckwagon.
Most evacuations are precautionary except for Cedar Heights. There are no evacuation orders in place at this time for Mountain Shadows other than those south of Chuckwagon Road. All residents are asked to evacuate and residents are not being allowed back into the area. Garden of the Gods Park and Garden of the Gods Visitor Center are closed.
200 people from Glen Eyrie Conference Center were evacuated to the Woodmen Valley Chapel. Due to fire evacuation there are no services at either Woodmen Valley Chapel campuses tonight.
The Waldo Canyon fire is estimated at 2,000 acres with 0 percent containment. Approximately 1050 homes have been evacuated with 2,000 to 2,400 people being evacuated. No structures have been lost or are immediately threatened.
Response is staffed with 350 personnel and is under Unified Command with US Forest Service, El Paso County and City of Colorado Springs. Cooperating agencies include: El Paso County Sheriff, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, El Paso County, CSFD, CSPD, Colorado Springs Utilities, Green Mountain Fire Department, Cascade Fire Department, and Colorado State Forest Service.
The fire is expected to remain active throughout Saturday night. Additional resources are incoming Saturday night and Sunday. A Type I Team is expected to arrive Sunday with a possible transition of command Monday morning. Type 1 Command is used in complex emergencies needing resources from multiple agencies.
Fire engines will be staged in evacuated subdivisions for structure protection. CSPD and EPC Sheriff's Office are also in these areas for security and to staff closure points.
El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa says he thinks a Higway 24 closure is unlikely, but asks motorists to stay off Highway 24 if possible for firefighter safety.
Woodland Park High School can be used as a shelter for evacuees. A second Red Cross Shelter has been opened at Cheyenne Mountain High School for fire evacuees. The Norris Penrose Equestrian Center at 1045 Lower Gold Camp Rd is available for large animals within the evacuation area. You're asked to access the building from 8th St. The Pikes Peak Humane Society is providing shelter for smaller animals until 9p.m. Saturday night. After 9p.m., call 473-1741 and an emergency team will be available.
Waldo Canyon has also been evacuated. All hikers and traffic have been evacuated out of the Waldo Canyon area and away from access points. The public is asked not to drive to the area. Pikes Peak Hwy is also closed to the public.
CSFD is asking for the public not to call 911 to report this fire. They are responding to the fire and their emergency lines are being inundated with calls.
Citizens wanting to help, can make monetary donations to support fire fighting efforts to United Way, the Humane Society, Red Cross and Salvation Army.
A call center has been established to answer non-emergency questions regarding the Waldo Canyon fire 719-955-0742.
The new Mining Exchange Wyndham Grand Hotel is offering 60 rooms at the owners’ rate of $99/night for any evacuees needing short-term shelter for the next few nights. Please call (719) 323-2000 to make reservations. These are rooms that were being finished to put into hotel inventory in the next week or so that the owner has made available early for this purpose.

Manitou Springs evacuated due to Waldo Canyon Fire | News - Home

[Jks9199]

So, you need some marshmallows out there?

[121Traffic]

All kidding aside, we're having a nasty wildfire season this year. Glad I'm in the metro and all I have to deal with is crappy air quality and smoke particulates! Hats off to those that have to work in it.

[Jenna]

I hope you stay safe!

[pgg]

So, you need some marshmallows out there?

Don't forget the hotdogs also

[ChesCopPodz]

All kidding aside, we're having a nasty wildfire season this year. Glad I'm in the metro and all I have to deal with is crappy air quality and smoke particulates! Hats off to those that have to work in it.

We evacuated a large portion of the city, around 1000 homes.

[lewisipso]

Stay safe and stay as cool as possible.

[Captain America]

Prayers for everyone in Harm's way.

[Buttercup]

Stay safe, ChesCopPodz.

[ChesCopPodz]

This is the fire from my front door, over 20 miles away, last night at sunset. You can't really see the city because I live on a ridge higher in elevation. But te city limits of Colorado Springs are on the front of the ridge that the fire is burning the back of. Not sure if it will show up on the pasted pic, but above and slightly to the right of the summit of Pikes Peak is a C-130 heading for a water drop.

[IMG]<a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=n477ea" target="_blank"><img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/n477ea.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>[/IMG]

[ChesCopPodz]

At 1645 today

fire 2.jpg

[ChesCopPodz]

The winds changed and the fire entered the city, burning dozens of homes.

We are on mandatory 12 hour shifts until further notice, so this morning is the last I'll post on here for a few days.

[bayern]

How far are the firess from Ft Carson? My grandson just moved his family out there last week.

[HudsonHawk]

Be safe Ches.

[Ducky]

The article linked in the first post has been updated. It looks a bit grim.

[ChesCopPodz]

How far are the firess from Ft Carson? My grandson just moved his family out there last week.

Quite far. Ft Carson is in no danger. Ft Carson is at the southeast corner of the city. The fire is at the northwest

[ChesCopPodz]

And please send prayers for our brothers in blue. I know of two of our officers who have homes in the area where homes were destroyed, and the parents of one of my shiftmates have lost their house.