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CNN Live At Daybreak
Denver Residents Get Break When Wind Shifts Wildfire From Doorsteps
Aired June 11, 2002 - 06:08 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to go to Colorado now though, because tens of thousands of Denver residents, they got a little break when the wind shifted a wildfire from their doorsteps last night, but the threat is not over yet.
CNN's Lilian Kim joins us live from Littleton, Colorado with a story of -- with the story of the state of the fire, I should say -- Lilian, good morning.
LILIAN KIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
The wind has shifted, and the temperatures have dropped, but fire officials warn this blaze could blow up again at any time depending on the weather. So far, the blaze has burned more than 75,000 acres.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KIM (voice-over): Firefighters say the wind-driven flames are unpredictable, at one point so dangerous crews were pulled off the lines.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have never seen anything like this. I have never seen it so quickly.
KIM: The fire moving as quickly as a mile an hour came alarmingly close to Denver suburbs, creating a haze over the city. Hundreds have left their homes. Many more may eventually be forced out. Authorities have drawn up plans to evacuate as many as 40,000 residents.
High winds, high temperatures and dry conditions are making it tough for crews battling the flames.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has been some erratic fire behavior out here, high winds, gusty winds, low humidities, extreme fire behavior. We have witnessed out here torching, some crown (ph) fires as well.
KIM: Firefighters say the blaze was started by an illegal campfire about 55 miles southwest of Denver. The fire is one of at least eight burning in Colorado.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are in competition obviously with the other fires that are burning across the state for the resources that are available. There are a finite number of resources, and right now, we have a lot of demand.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KIM: Outdoor burning has been banned at state parks and national forests. Now, when the sun comes up and the temperatures start to rise, fire officials should have a better idea as to what direction this fire is going.
Reporting live from Littleton, Colorado, I am Lilian Kim.
Carol, back to you.
COSTELLO: I take it, Lilian, they are calling in firefighters from other parts of the country to help?
KIM: Well, they are trying to, but as you heard that firefighter said, they are spread so thin. There are at least eight fires burning in Colorado, so it's not an ideal situation here in this state.
COSTELLO: What are they telling people to do who may have to evacuate their homes? I mean, what are the people bringing with them? We were wondering about that this morning. What would you take with you if your home was in danger of being burned to the ground?
KIM: Well, residents are preparing, because they have been told that there is a possibility of evacuation. So they are taking whatever that they think is important, pictures, other important belongings, documents such as those. So a lot of people are preparing for the possibility of an evacuation.
COSTELLO: All right. Lilian Kim reporting live for us this morning -- thank you.
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