UCCS providing shelter to those fighting Waldo Canyon blaze
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The University of Colorado Colorado Springs is providing housing for up to 100 wildland firefighters working to contain the Waldo Canyon Fire.
Since Friday, June 29, UCCS has provided dormitory-style space for the firefighters in Summit Village.
“We are pleased to provide this space to the heroes of this community,” said Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak. “We recognize the sacrifice that many have made to help our community in its time of need. This is a way the university can say thank you.”
Many of the wildland firefighters are part of a multi-agency response to the Waldo Canyon Fire and are from communities outside of Colorado Springs. As a result, many cannot return to their homes and do not have places to stay locally.
UCCS is providing the firefighters with space in Summit Village complete with housekeeping services, refrigerators and access to Internet and television in common areas. Care and Share will provide them with donated toiletry articles, food and other services.
At the peak of the Waldo Canyon Fire evacuations, UCCS housed more than 350 evacuees, including 200 U.S. Air Force Academy cadets. UCCS provided Colorado Springs residents evacuated from their homes with three nights housing at no charge. Individuals in need of housing for more than three nights would pay reduced rates for up to a one-week additional stay.
As of early this week, neither the Waldo Canyon Fire in Colorado Springs nor the Flagstaff Fire in Boulder posed immediate threats to the campuses. But leaders at the university continue to monitor the fires.
Last week, UCCS provided this update:
| We will continue to support our students, faculty and staff, and our Colorado Springs home community, throughout the duration of this disaster.For information about the fire, please contact 719-955-0742Students who need assistance, or have questions, please contact 719-255-3582, 719-255-3608, or 719-255-3470This information and previous statements are available at www.uccs.edu/~waldocanyonfire |
As of early this week, Boulder’s Flagstaff Fire was 90 percent contained. Last week at CU-Boulder, students, faculty and staff received the following communication from Lacey Croco, director of the Emergency Management Division:
| The University of Colorado Boulder is monitoring a developing wildfire burning to the southwest of the city. City and County authorities are updating information on the wildfire at http://boulderoem.com/emergency-statusThe Boulder Emergency Operations Center has activated a call center for residents and others impacted by the fire to obtain information. The phone number is 303-413-7730. People seeking fire and evacuation information are encouraged to call this number.Faculty, staff and students living in the areas identified by the city are urged to pay attention to advisories concerning the changing conditions and possible evacuations and to follow instructions from city and law enforcement officials.CU officials are taking the situation seriously and monitoring it closely with city and county officials. However, the fire does not represent a threat to the campus and the campus is not in the area covered by the city's advisory.Classes and campus events are not canceled.Smoke from the fire is affecting many communities in our area and the Boulder County Public Health has issued a health advisory. You are urged to exercise appropriate caution to preserve your health as high levels of particulates in our air. Learn more at http://www.bouldercounty.org/env/air/pages/wildfire.aspxThe university will update campus-specific information as needed on the CU-Boulder home page at http://www.colorado.eduand the Emergency Information Line at 303-492-4636. CU faculty, staff and students should also monitor their campus e-mail and cell phones for possible emergency alerts, texts and updates.The city of Boulder is posting information at http://www.bouldercolorado.govIf you have not done so already, sign up for the campus alert system at http://www.colorado.edu/alerts and if you live off-campus in the city or county of Boulder you can sign up for alerts at http://www.boco911alert.com |
The state of Colorado’s Division of Emergency Management has established a website providing information on how to help communities most affected by the fires. The Help Colorado Now page, http://www.helpcoloradonow.org/, provides contact information for the Red Cross, the Salvation Army and other agencies distributing aid.
Photos: Firefighters from NPS Engine 51 by Philip Denman/University of Colorado. Photos of Air Force Academy cadets by Jeff Foster/University of Colorado.