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CNN Saturday Morning News

Colorado Fire About 30 Percent Contained

Aired June 15, 2002 - 12:14   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: From mobile homes to million dollar mansions, all are being threatened by wildfires burning out of control there. Today in Castle Rock, Colorado firefighters are hoping wind will not be a setback.

CNN's Rusty Dornin has the latest from there -- hi there Rusty.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, you know, wind is really the determining factor in a wild land fire like this. They kick up, it is very difficult for firefighters to get a handle on it. They were very lucky yesterday. There were very calm winds and the humidity was high and it really enabled them to get a huge jump on the fire.

From 5 percent containment to 30 percent. Also there were thunderstorms in the afternoon which brought in some moisture. Now, the winds have just started to pick up at the northern interagency fire camp where firefighters have just left their tents and are going back on the fire lines.

But even just here we have noticed in the past couple hours the smoke is back into the camp and clouds have come in. They are expecting some thunderstorms later today. That is good news of course because it brings moisture which they desperately need here because everything is so dry.

They do have to be careful of lightening strikes which can start new fires but another thing is in these kind of terrain the erratic winds when they kick up can make a fire very unpredictable. And one California crew was caught under one the thunderstorm cells yesterday and literally had to run for their lives.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM POPE, FIREFIGHTER: We were in a canyon and couldn't see the sky over us and it wasn't in the weather report for the day. It is just one of those things -- I'm not from Colorado but for the Rocky Mountains they talk about quick weather changes and they told us repeatedly to be aware of that and that is just one of those things that happened.

So we're posting lookouts and making sure that we're taking care of our people so we don't get caught in a situation like that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: Now, they're hoping to get some more air tankers up in the air and just make a lot more head way on this fire, but they are worried about the winds in the next couple hours. There's a window of local time from 11 a.m. until about 2:00, when they're very worried about the winds.

But they're still very optimistic that they're going to be able to make more head way. Perhaps we can talk about 45, 50 percent by the end of the day, hopefully -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, we've got our fingers crossed. Thanks very much, Rusty Dornin.

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