COLORADODistrict 16
Iron Mountain Fire Response
Colorado District 16 Amateur Radio Emergency Services     |     home
On the Second of June, 2002, a devistating wildfire was ignited in the mountains west of Canon City.  The fire burned over 4,436 acres and destroyed approximately 100 homes and 100 other structures, including a general store.  Residents were evacuated to shelters in Cotopaxi, Colorado where some of our amateur radio operators provided communications between the shelter and the Red Cross headquarters in Colorado Springs.  The shelter was closed after June 8, and volunteer radio operators were used to communicate between Damage Assessment Teams and Red Cross field operations headquarters at the Deer Mountain Fire Station.  Some very interesting pictures of the fire and its results are included in the following links.


Related stories in the American Red Cross web site tell of the human emotions of fear and loss.  Some of the volunteers who helped with the evacuations and damage assessments had been in a similar fire about ten years ago.  They are now giving of their time to help their neighbors recover from this present fire.  These two stories are found at the following links.


The following Amateur Radio Operators from District 16 volunteered their time and effort in the recovery after the fire.

June 6
June 7
June 8
Ted, KCØTED
Darrell, KCØKTC
Alan, KBØTLS
Bill, WØWFR
Aaron, ABØSV
Dick, KØFXA
Bill, WØWFR

I am sure I have left out one or more volunteers from District 16 who responded to the fire.  If you responded but were not mentioned in this list, please send me an E-Mail telling the date you responded as well as your name and call.  I can then edit this report to include your service also.

William F. Ryan, WØWFR