Wildfire chars part of Meyer Ranch

A 40-acre wildfire last week in Conifer’s own front yard reminded residents that fire season has definitely come early this year.

About 3 p.m. Thursday, Elk Creek firefighters responded to a wildfire at Meyer Ranch on U.S. 285 east of Aspen Park. The flames came within 50 feet of the historic Meyer homestead, but strong winds turned the blaze away from the house and onto a rocky ridge and a meadow on the property.

No injuries were reported, no structures burned, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. The fire was fully contained by 8 p.m. Friday.

Four subdivisions were evacuated starting Thursday for about 24 hours, and residents had only moments to grab what they could.

Longtime Conifer resident Norm Meyer went to look at the fire just after it started and was concerned about nearby homes.

“I wasn’t too worried about my place, but I knew other people could lose their homes if the fire spread,” he said.

Nancy Schifo lives just east of the burn area, and as the wind-whipped flames began to move up the slope toward her house, a Jefferson County deputy knocked on her door and told her she had to leave. Now.

“I didn’t have time to think,” she said. “I grabbed my animals and my checkbook. That’s all I had time for.”

An evacuation center was set up at Conifer High School for residents, but Schifo parked her car at the Meyer Ranch Open Space parking lot and watched and waited with her dog and two cats.

“I don’t really know where to go, so I’ll just wait and see what happens,” she said.

After returning home, Schifo has a newfound respect for fire danger. Next time, she’ll be ready with items she needs for both her and her animals.

“There was stuff I left behind that I wish I hadn’t,” she said. “Now I keep things in a certain spot, and I have a bag packed. I’ve been up here a long time. The only thing I would do differently would be to take things that can help with my survival.”

Wildfire

Motorists on U.S. 285 witnessed the power of a wildfire close up as the flames brushed up against the highway. Spectators parked along the highway and at local businesses and watched a helicopter make repeated drops on steep slopes. A single-engine slurry bomber dumped flame retardant on the trees at a nearby home.

Jody Wagner, Elk Creek Fire District spokeswoman, said despite the much-needed moisture that came over the weekend, residents should still be concerned about fire danger.

“The tall grasses and surface fuels are still dry even with the recent moisture,” Wagner said. “In no time at all the risk of wildfire will be real high again.”

Wagner said the fire took two days and the work of several agencies to control. She said 60 firefighters from several organizations helped.

“Elk Creek historically has done so well with structure protection and safety, but certainly the progress we made with the Meyer Ranch fire would not have happened without the support of neighboring agencies,” Wagner said.

Elk Creek received aid from the Platte Canyon, Inter-Canyon, North Fork, Indian Hills and Fairmount fire departments, plus the Jeffco Incident Management Team, Sheriff’s Office and Animal Control. Also supplying aid were the Intermountain Humane Society, Elk Creek Support Team, Inter-Canyon “Vees” Volunteer Auxiliary, a Jeffco sheriff’s type 2 helicopter, the San Carlos Hand Crew and the Juniper Valley Hand Crew.

Wagner said the department is braced for a tough fire season and needs help in the form of volunteers.

“I encourage people to join the Elk Creek Support Team or the Elk Creek Explorers,” Wagner said. “For those who can’t participate as a volunteer firefighter, we still need many volunteers to support the organization in other ways.”

Jefferson County sheriff’s investigators are asking for the public’s help to find those responsible for starting the Meyer Ranch fire. The fire appears to be one of several started last Thursday along U.S. 285 in the area of Parmalee Gulch, Meyer Ranch and Richmond Hill.

Sheriff’s investigators are urging citizens to contact the tip line at 303-271-5612 to provide information regarding unusual activity or suspicious people in the area between 2 and 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 21.

Several fires of suspicious origin have been identified in the past month. The Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to be aware of suspicious people and vehicles, and citizens are urged to call 911 if they see suspicious activity.

This story ran in the April 27, 2011 edition of the High Timber Times. None of my images ran with the story. The above photo is the first media photo of the fire.