Longmont residents were able to breathe a sigh of relief this weekend after the spread of the fast-moving CalWood fire was stopped after it flirted with encroaching on the city’s western edge.
But area residents and businesses didn't let the distance from the blazes stop them from seeking ways they could help people impacted by the CalWood fire and the separate, smaller Lefthand Canyon fire in Boulder County, as well as the Cameron Peak fire in Larimer County.
Facebook and Twitter lit up with offers of rooms for evacuees, places for folks to park campers, and fields and farms to take livestock.
Tad Brooker, who said he has “10 acres of open level and clean fields that can easily handle 20 campers, possibly more,” said one family has already taken him up on his offer of space to settle as evacuations remain in place, with two more coming today. One of those families on their way is bringing with them more than 100 chickens and other livestock to his property near Interstate 25 and Colo. 119, he said.
“(I’m)” just trying to be helpful in the time of need for others,” Brooker said. “I think it would be a scary feeling having no place to go and having to deal with the stress of possibly losing your home and everything you own. This gives them a place to secure their property and live temporarily at no cost while they deal with everything they are facing.”
Brooker, a resident of the Longmont area since 1970, said his wife, Lisa, “told me we should do something to help others and offer our property for people in need to park their campers or RVs. We are members of Hip Camp so we frequently have people staying out here and they love it because of the isolation and beautiful view of the mountains. I decided to post it on Facebook and people took the ad, shared it and it really exploded.”
Brooker can be reached at [email protected].
Jonny Bjorgo, owner of Jonny’s of Longmont, meanwhile put some miles on his food truck this weekend to deliver meals and sack lunches to Loveland to feed firefighters battling the Cameron Peak fire.
Bjorgo, which in August went solely to a food truck model after he shuttered the brick-and-mortar Jonny’s location on Third Avenue because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, said he is living part-time in Longmont and Loveland as he completes a move to Loveland. A recent drive past Marianna Buttes golf course, from which the fire’s consumption of a ridgeline could be viewed, sparked a conversation with his son, Nate Findlay, and girlfriend, Kerry Sheahan, about the fire that has been burning since Aug. 13.
Firefighters show off the food served up to them in Loveland Sunday, Oct. 18, 2020, by the Jonny's food truck.(Photo by Nate Findlay)In addition to feeding fire personnel at a Loveland fire station, which required access beyond roadblocks that was arranged by Loveland Fire Rescue Authority, Bjorgo and crew made more than 30 box lunches to feed those firefighters who could not leave the fire lines to eat.
And on Monday, Bjorgo said he was busy working on 150 more box lunches for the firefighters battling the Boulder County blazes.
“It’s the absolute least we can do and we’re able to give back,” said Bjorgo who in the past has delivered food for Longmont Fire personnel and to staff at both local hospitals.
The Colorado Pet Pantry also is doing its part to help people take care of their four-legged family members. The nonprofit pet food bank shared via Facebook that it will hold its usual distribution at the OUR Center in Longmont on Tuesday, but also is rallying to gather emergency supplies for anyone displaced by the fires and is ready to respond to direct requests for help.
Russ Justice, of family owned Justice Trucking in LaSalle, also joined in the effort to help by offering to help transport animals and feed. He said he has trailers, flatbeds and semitrucks and 35 employees ready to help. Anyone who needs such help can call or text him at 970-309-0605, email him at [email protected] or reach out via justicetrucking.com.
The desire to help extends south into the Denver-metro area, too. Olde Town Homestead in Arvada also is offering transportation for animals to the Budweiser Event Center in Loveland, as well as feed and other supplies. Victoria Sofia Shaughnessy, who runs the private farm animal rescue with her boyfriend, said they transported 21 animals on Sunday and was taking more calls on Monday. Among the animals they have helped move are goats, alpacas, chickens and horses, she said.
Many other people want to help and have turned to social media to ask how they can do so. A few starting places include a web form created by the Boulder County Office of Emergency Management. The form urges people to donate money to the Red Cross and items to local thrift stores.
The Community Foundation Boulder County also urged people to donate to nonprofits impacted by the fires including the Cal-Wood Education Center and the Longmont Humane Society and Humane Society of Boulder Valley, which are taking in pets of displaced residents.
“We understand the weight of this additional community crisis during a year when so many are already stretched thin — emotionally, mentally, and financially — due to the pandemic, the foundation’s Board Chairperson Sue Anderson and CEO Tatiana Hernandez stated in an email. “Know that we are with you and that our energy to support the needs of Boulder County remains steadfast.”
In a post to its website Monday evening, the Boulder County Office of Emergency Management asked people who were calling its call center at 303-413-7730 to please be patient as it works to connect those wanting to donate items to those with the greatest need.
"The Boulder Office of Emergency Management call center is receiving many calls and appreciates all the calls from people wanting to make donations to help. Staff are cataloging these offers and prioritizing to match with the highest need," the post states. "Your patience is requested. Please wait until you are contacted after making the initial offer, and be assured that your request has been received. We are so grateful for this generous community."
The CalWood fire, which was reported shortly after noon on Saturday near the Cal-Wood Education Center, has grown to 8,788 acres, and has burned at least 26 structures and forced nearly 3,000 people to evacuate from Jamestown and other western Boulder County communities. It was 15% contained as of Monday.
The Lefthand Canyon reported on Sunday is at 312 acres and forced the evacuation of Ward. It was 4% contained on Monday.
The latest updates on those fires are available here.
The Cameron Peak fire, which is now the largest wildfire in Colorado history, has burned 203,604 acres and has forced hundreds to evacuate. It is 62% contained. Updates on its status are available here.
— Leader assistant editor Julie Baxter contributed to this report.
