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CNN Live Today

Weather Gives Firefighters a Chance to Fight Back

Aired June 14, 2002 - 13:51   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: We want to take you out West, where -- in suburban Denver residents who have been feeling the heat for the past few days are breathing a bit easier today.

The enormous wildfire that has been bearing down on their homes is not quite as threatening as it was earlier in the week, but all of that could change, and CNN's John Zarrella joins us now from Colorado -- it is the weekend they are worrying about now, isn't that right, John?

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is exactly right, Fredricka, but just within the last hour, we had a briefing from forestry officials and local officials here, and the key words, the key phrase, the prognosis is much better, and that has to be extremely good news for the folks, particularly here on the north side of the fire line.

The reason: humidities are up, the temperature is down, and the winds are down. Forestry officials say if they could only get a couple more days like today, they would really be able to start to get ahead of the game.

During yesterday and today, they have managed to build some more fire line, they have managed to get the crews out and really start to attack the fire, and go on the offensive, something they have not been able to do up until today. The other piece of good news, is at least -- there is still 5,400 people evacuated, but 131 in this north side of the fire zone were allowed to go back for a couple of hours today, to check their houses, to get some belongings out, and that, officials here say, is first step towards starting to allow evacuees, perhaps, to go back.

Now, forestry officials do say, though, that this fire has been anything but an obedient fire. In fact, they have never seen a fire act the way this one did, gobbling up some 19 miles in one day. So, while at the present time the folks in the north appear to be out of the woods, they do not want to sign off on that completely yet, because they know how erratic this fire has been. Right now, a total 100,000 -- just below 100,000 acres totally gobbled up by this Hayman fire.

So, Fredricka, though, for now, good news, making progress in fighting this fire. They say, though, that to ultimately to get containment around the entire fire, they are going to have to build at least 70 miles of fire line -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: A lot of hard work. All right. Thanks very much, John. Appreciate it.

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