Colorado

Scientists tracking wildfire risk to Colorado communities

Published

3 years ago

April 23, 2022

Scientists tracking wildfire risk to Colorado communities

On the U.S. Forest Service’s Missoula Hearth Sciences Lab, a staff put collectively an interactive map to assist present the wildfire threat to communities.

DENVER — Because the to this point busy yr continues for hearth crews on the bottom in Colorado, eyes are on the ever-changing wildfire threat alongside the Entrance Vary from out of state.

On the U.S. Forest Service’s Missoula Hearth Sciences Lab in Montana, a staff put collectively an interactive map, as directed by Congress, to assist present the wildfire threat to communities throughout the USA.

“We’ve got a group of analysis scientists doing science on an entire vary of points round wildland hearth, all the pieces from learning hearth conduct to learning smoke and the chemistry of smoke to learning hearth ecology and the way hearth operates on the panorama and in ecosystems,” stated Greg Dillon, Director of the Hearth Modeling Institute on the lab.

One of many objectives of the web site is to assist information group leaders, planners and hearth managers as they resolve easy methods to deal with the therapy of the fuels of harmful wildfires.

It is the primary time your complete nation has been mapped for wildfire threat to communities, in accordance with the web site.

It additionally comprises assets and steering for wildfire preparedness and mitigation for owners.

As for the interactive map, below the portion that reveals the common wildfire threat to properties (the darkish crimson reveals the place it is greater threat), a lot of the Entrance Vary is highlighted as a better threat.

A couple of issues stick out to Dillon relating to Colorado’s Entrance Vary.

“You get completely different gradients of vegetation with the mountains. And in order that impacts the property of the fuels and the chance of a hearth occurring in other places,” he defined. “And the opposite fascinating factor is, , as these fuels or the vegetation transitions from the mountains out into the foothills and the plains, you continue to can have the hearth threat extending out fairly a methods.”

His staff makes use of hearth prevalence data and climate sample data to assist type and replace the map.

Dillon famous that after they first began this work, the Entrance Vary did not have as many data of huge hearth, when wanting again a number of many years as in comparison with different locations throughout the western a part of the nation.

“And we knew that there was nonetheless the potential there. And so we have type of had our eye on that as we have been doing the mapping efficiently during the last a number of years,” he stated. “And as anybody that lives within the Entrance Vary is aware of, , you all have seen an rising variety of massive fires in recent times. And so now we’re beginning to have these data of huge fires in our database in order that once we calibrate our fashions to what we have seen up to now, our outputs are actually reflecting a better diploma of threat and a variety of the Entrance Vary.”

He additionally defined the patterns his staff has noticed on the Entrance Vary.

“I feel the final sample that we see throughout a variety of the forest, like what you all have within the Entrance Vary is, we now have circumstances with fuels the place we now have forests that perhaps traditionally had decrease density of bushes, had extra frequent fires the place these fires would have eliminated the fuels on the floor. And when we do not have common low depth hearth, these fuels construct up. And in order that’s resulting in a number of the massive fires that we’re seeing within the Entrance Vary. And that is a scenario that is been constructing for lots longer than the previous couple of years,” he defined.

After the Marshall Hearth for instance, his staff checked the maps associated to wildfire threat.

“To see like, ‘okay, that was in a spot the place lots of people actually did not count on to see wildfire.’ And but once we checked out our maps, really, for those who take a look at these areas, a variety of them did map as reasonable to excessive threat as a result of there are nonetheless some some pure vegetation in that space. After which, in fact, you get the elements of excessive winds and hearth climate that is conducive to fireplace unfold and you may get hearth occurring even in locations that is perhaps mapped as reasonable to low threat,” stated Dillon.

For example, in accordance with the map, populated areas in Louisville have, on common, larger wildfire threat to properties than 30% of communities in Colorado, in comparison with 65% in Boulder.

Total, he says the message behind the work is supposed to assist communities.

“A variety of the message must be round the truth that folks need to take a specific amount of duty for doing work round their very own properties to make their properties much less ignitable, in order that when that wildfire that, perhaps inevitable occurs, their dwelling is probably not as at threat as a result of they’ve taken motion to stop it from igniting,” he stated.

What’s the standards for issuing a Crimson Flag Warning?

Hearth departments struggle fires otherwise on Crimson Flag Warning days

SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Wildfires in Colorado

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries

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Colorado

Colorado star and Heisman Trophy favorite Travis Hunter says he will enter the NFL Draft

Published

8 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Colorado star and Heisman Trophy favorite Travis Hunter says he will enter the NFL Draft

Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter said Thursday he plans to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft.

“That’s definitely for sure,” Hunter, 21, told reporters when asked if he intended to declare.

A favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, Hunter plays both cornerback and receiver for the Buffaloes. He is projected by many to be selected first overall next April.

When asked about playing both offense and defense as a professional, Hunter acknowledged the rarity of doing both, saying, “It’s never been done.”

He added: “I understand that it will be a high risk, [teams] don’t want their top pick to go down too early and I know they’re going to want me to be in a couple packages. But I believe I can do it. Nobody has stopped me from doing it thus far.”

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In 10 games for Colorado this season, Hunter has 74 receptions for 911 yards and nine touchdowns — all career bests. Defensively, Hunter has three interceptions, eight passes defended and 23 tackles.

Hunter was a highly recruited player coming out of high school. A consensus five-star prospect, he originally committed to Florida State before flipping his commitment to Jackson State — becoming the first five-star recruit to commit to an HBCU.

Hunter played for one season at Jackson State under head coach Deion Sanders, then transferred to Colorado before the 2023 season when Sanders took the head coaching job there.

Last season, Hunter averaged close to 115 plays per game, participating in offense, defense and special teams.

Sanders’s son Shedeur, who plays quarterback for Colorado, is projected to be among the first signal-callers selected in next year’s draft. Another player who could be a Heisman finalist, Sanders said Thursday that Hunter is the more deserving of the two to win the award.

“If it’s between me and him, I would want him to get it,” Shedeur Sanders said. “He does a lot of amazing things and things that haven’t been done before. I’m not a selfish guy. I know what he’s capable of, so I would rather him win.”

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Seeking Revenge Against the Capitals | Colorado Avalanche

Published

15 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Seeking Revenge Against the Capitals | Colorado Avalanche

Colorado Avalanche (10-9-0) @ Washington Capitals (13-4-1)

5 p.m. MT | Capital One Arena | Watch: Altitude, 9News, My20, Altitude+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)

For the second time in six days the Colorado Avalanche will faceoff against the Washington Capitals. Colorado will battle to split the season series after a 5-2 loss at Ball Arena on November 15.

Soaring Past the Flyers

The Avalanche beat the Flyers 3-2 at Wells Fargo Center on Monday. Cale Makar posted his 10th-career multi-goal game and Casey Mittlestadt added a goal. Additionally, Mikko Rantanen recorded two assists and Justus Annunen made 24 saves. Following a scoreless first period, Makar opened the scoring with a wrist shot from the slot at 8:30 of the second period after receiving Nathan MacKinnon’s set-up feed. Makar thought he had his second of the game at 10:44 of the middle frame, but the goal was taken off the board due to a successful Flyers challenge for goaltender interference. However, Makar would eventually double Colorado’s lead on the power play with his eighth tally of the season at 15:08 of the middle frame with a shot from the point that deflected off a Flyers player on its way in. The Burgundy and Blue took a 3-0 lead at 8:34 of the third period when Mittelstadt dispatched the rebound created by Rantanen’s shot into the net for his seventh goal of the season. The Flyers answered with goals from Owen Tippett at 11:48 and Tyson Foerster at 13:32 to cut their deficit to one, but the Avs held on to secure their 10th victory of the season.

Leading the Way

MacKinnon leads the NHL in points (34) and assists (27).

Makar leads NHL blueliners in goals (8), assists (19), and points (27). He’s tied for seventh among NHL skaters in points and tied for fifth in assists.

Rantanen is tied for sixth in the league in goals (12) and tied for seventh in points (27).

History

The Avalanche are 18-20-4 in 42 previous regular-season games against the Capitals. Colorado is 4-1-0 in its last five matchups against Washington dating back to the 2022-23 season.

Winning Out West

The Capitals beat the Utah Hockey Club 6-2 at the Delta Center on Monday. Alex Ovechkin scored twice, and Charlie Lindgren made 24 saves. Utah opened the scoring with a goal by Jack McBain at 3:05 of the first period but the Capitals responded with tallies from Dylan Strome at 7:46, Nic Dowd at 7:56, and Ovechkin at 11:05. Ovechkin extended Washington’s lead to three with a goal at 5:38 of the second period before Nick Bjugstad scored for Utah at 11:44 to make it 4-2 in favor of Washington entering the third period. Ovechkin did leave the game midway through the third period with a lower-body injury and has been placed on injured reserve and ruled week-to-week. The Caps added two more goals in the third period from Brandon Duhaime at 7:30 and Aliaksei Protas at 9:56 to win 6-2.

Putting Up Numbers on the Potomac

MacKinnon has posted 28 points (11g/17a) in 20-career matchups against the Capitals including 11 points (5g/6a) in 10 road matchups against them.

In eight previous meetings with Washington, Makar has recorded six points (2g/4a).

Rantanen has registered 19 points (8g/11a) in 14 previous games against Washington including eight points (4g/4a) on the road.

Capitals’ Contributors

Strome leads the Capitals in points (28) and assists (22).

Connor McMichael is second on the team in goals (12) and third in points (19).

Aliaksei Protas is fourth on the team in points (18), third in goals (7), and tied for third in assists (11).

A Numbers Game

10

Makar became the first defenseman in franchise history to record 10 multi-goal games.

3

The Avalanche have three players (MacKinnon, Makar, and Rantanen) in the top 10 in points. No other team has more than one.

165

The Avs have registered 165 high-danger shots on goal, which ranks sixth in the NHL.

Quote That Left a Mark

“Juice is great. I think he’s been great all year. [He made] some big saves, especially at the beginning there…So [it was a] heck of a job from Juice for sure.”

— Casey Mittelstadt on Justus Annunen’s performance on Monday

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Residents rally to save Colorado Springs library on brink of closure

Published

23 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Press Room

Residents rally to save Colorado Springs library on brink of closure

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Hundreds of Colorado Springs residents showed up at the Pikes Peak Library District Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday night in a last-ditch effort to save the Rockrimmon Library.

The library is set to close December 1. This comes after the board voted to not renew the library’s lease due to financial issues.

In a statement posted on their website on November 8, the board called the decision to close Rockrimmon a difficult one.

“A library provides access to resources and materials to everyone in the community, so considering a closure goes against the grain of our hopes for PPLD. However, our District provides access to nearly 700,000 people across El Paso County. We must make decisions that sustain the entire District.”

More than 250 community members showed up to Wednesday’s board meeting to show their support for keeping the Rockrimmon location open with another 119 tuning in virtually.

Former Rockrimmon Library manager Steve Abbott said he was glad to see the turnout.

“It shows that the community will not give up and they are going to fight to keep this library open,” he said.

For most of the almost five-hour meeting, 43 speakers took turns pleading with board members to postpone the library’s closure, extend the lease another year, and reconsider their decision to close the library in the first place.

One of those who spoke before the board, Abbott said closing the library will leave a massive gap for the 30,000 people who live in the area.

“It leaves a big library desert in the Rockrimmon area,” he said. “For a child to use a library now, they’ll have to go over I-25, under I-25, over Academy, under Academy to get to a library, and it’s six miles away from where Rockrimmon was.”

Speaker and Rockrimmon resident Jennifer Walker said closing the library would also deprive the area of a much-needed community center.

“There is no YMCA, there’s nothing else,” she said. “This is where we meet other moms when we’re desperate to talk to another human being that’s not a toddler, this is where we go to work when we need a quiet space, this is where the elderly come to use the computer or to check out books.”

The fate of the Rockrimmon Library was not on the board’s agenda and those who left the meeting tell 11 News the meeting ended with no resolution.

Walker said residents are still exploring their legal options.

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