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CNN Live Today
Interview With Teresa Vieira of Red Cross
Aired May 23, 2002 - 12:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: In the West now, there is an additional 200 firefighters now heading to the scene of a raging blaze there near Denver, Colorado. That fire burning in the Pike National Forest, grew eight times its size within 24 hours yesterday. It hopped a highway, hopped a road, and continued, right now racing, we are told, toward hundreds of homes.
On the phone with us, with the latest on the conditions, Teresa Vieira with the Red Cross. Teresa, can you hear me OK?
TERESA VIEIRA, RED CROSS: Yes, I can, Bill.
HEMMER: You are south of Denver in Woodland Park, correct?
VIEIRA: We are.
HEMMER: How far south of Denver?
VIEIRA: We, I would say, are about 40 miles south of Denver, 20 miles or so north of Colorado Springs.
HEMMER: And what are you hearing about the latest on the fire today now with the sun up?
VIEIRA: We are hearing that the fire is -- was stagnant through the night, but it is up a little bit today. We are expecting a front to come through, so we are concerned about the winds that may pick up the spread of this fire.
The shelter has been set up in Woodland Park at the Woodland Park Community Center for all evacuated families. There was also another one set up by the Mile High Chapter -- we belong to the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) chapter -- that has set up on the other side of the fire for any residents who have gone north.
HEMMER: Hey, Teresa, these 300 homes said to be in the path of this blaze right now, how close are the two relative to one another?
VIEIRA: Right now, we are hearing that although all these families have been evacuated, there have been no structures that have been damaged that were residential. We hope that that will continue to be the case. For safety reasons, of course, everyone has been evacuated.
The fire has shifted several times, so that's what makes things difficult. That's why we have to just be on guard at all times.
HEMMER: Do you know how far, though, again, the blaze is from these homes? Are you aware of that?
VIEIRA: I have heard clients say that they are as close as one mile away from the fire.
HEMMER: When it hopped the road yesterday, did that portend a much nastier situation?
VIEIRA: Not being on the front line, it's hard for me to answer that. Of course, any time it passes any boundary that we're hoping will contain it will present a new whole situation. But unfortunately, since I'm not there, we are not real clear on how serious it has gotten once it has passed that boundary. We are hearing that, hopefully, some of the wind is pushing it right back upon itself, so we hope that will continue to be the case.
HEMMER: Good luck, Teresa.
VIEIRA: Thank you.
HEMMER: Thank you, Teresa Vieira, Red Cross there, south of Denver, as that blaze continues.
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