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CNN Live Today

Fire Near Castle Rock, Colorado Could Burn All Summer

Aired June 13, 2002 - 14:32   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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: There was a shocking announcement today by officials in Colorado. They say a massive fire near Castle Rock could burn the entire summer. CNN's Lilian Kim is there and updates us with the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LILIAN KIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Hundreds of firefighters from across the country are gathering here at this command center, preparing to battle the blaze that's been burning just southwest of Denver. But the big question: will the extra crews be enough?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody has their boots on. You got your shirts. All your PPE.

KIM (voice-over): They have come from all over the country, here to battle a blaze that's four times larger than any fire the Rocky Mountain state has ever seen. As many as 1,800 firefighters have been called in, making this command center their temporary home for what could be weeks or months.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I had a good night's sleep. Good breakfast. Ready to go.

KIM: An aerial view captures the destruction. Dozens of homes and mountain communities southwest of Denver burn to the ground. So far, flames have charred more than 90,000 acres. With the erratic winds and severe drought conditions, firefighters are well aware that oftentimes there's not much they can do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's not really any typical way the fire will burn. It's all depending on the weather, so...

KIM: While downtown Denver remains in a smoky haze, many subdivisions along the city's outskirts, at risk in the beginning of the week, have been spared sewed far. But residents have been told to stay on high alert. Warn that the shifting winds could still force an evacuation.

While they can't control the weather, firefighters hope their efforts will make a difference.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It feels good to save people's property. Especially when I know mine's out here somewhere and there's probably some crew working on my house while I'm out here doing someone else's.

KIM (on camera): Fire officials say it could take up to three months to build a containment line around the fire. The estimated cost of the fire effort and the damage is far is $29 million.

Lilian Kim, CNN, Castle Rock, Colorado.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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