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CNN Live At Daybreak

Denver Suburbs Still Under Threat From Fire

Aired June 12, 2002 - 06:30   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 live now to Colorado though for the latest on those wildfires. Our Lilian Kim joins us now from Denver -- good morning, Lilian.

LILIAN KIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

With shifting winds and severe drought conditions, Denver suburbs are still under threat. At 87,000 acres, this is by far the most serious of all of the fires burning right now in Colorado.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KIM (voice-over): The wind-whipped flames are roaring throughout Colorado. This blaze, southwest of Denver, is the worst the Rocky Mountain State has ever seen. Thousands have left their homes, living in emergency shelters for the time being.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We didn't know we were being evacuated when we came back, and the road was blocked off, and they wouldn't let anyone in. So we got out without anything but the clothes we were wearing.

KIM: The fire spans 15 miles, but fire officials are concentrating their efforts on the northeast side, where flames have come within four miles of subdivisions in the Denver outskirts. More than 400 firefighters are on the job, but the intense heat and unpredictable winds have forced crews, at times, to back off.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's extremely dangerous. We don't want to put anyone in harm's way right now, particularly the firefighters.

KIM: This is an early start to the Colorado fire season, one that doesn't officially begin until Saturday. So far, at least nine fires are burning in the state. Residents, who haven't been told to leave yet, are packed up, waiting for the official word.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are still holding out hope that, you know, this will be all a dream and the winds will shift, and we won't be affected by it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KIM: Nearby states are feeling the affects of the Colorado fires. Smoke can be seen in Wyoming, Nebraska and even the Dakotas. Now, this fire just outside Denver was started by an illegal campfire about 55 miles southwest of the city.

Reporting live from Castle Rock, Colorado, I am Lilian Kim -- Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: Lilian, it's amazing to met that they can actually figure out that it started from a campfire in the midst of all of that other burned out stuff. Do they know who did it?

KIM: Well, a ranger did see a man in a vehicle leaving the scene of the illegal campfire, which took place on Saturday, and the ranger did write down that license plate number. So they are looking for the person who was driving that car.

COSTELLO: Oh, they just haven't tracked down the license plate number, because you know, that seems like it would be easy.

KIM: Yes. You would imagine that they would probably have caught the guy by now, but so far, we have not heard that the person has been arrested.

COSTELLO: All right. Lilian Kim reporting live for us -- thank you very much.

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