View from the front door of Focus on the Family, a most visited tourist area of Colorado Springs.
Please keep the firefighters and evacuees in your prayers. The Waldo Canyon Fire has taken a toll on the Colorado Springs area. I was at Focus on the Family for a debrief meeting from the national tournament, and I snapped this picture on the way out the door. If you’ve been to Focus (the 2nd most popular tourist attraction in the Springs), this should give you perspective. That’s Pikes Peak in the distant left of the main smoke.
This reminds me of 1997 when the Red River Valley flooded. Remember that news? The Grand Forks Herald caught on fire in the middle of a flooded downtown. It was a big deal, total devastation in the valley, a sea of flooding that rocked the community. We banded together and fought the devastation. Some say the devastation won, but it made us better people.
So, please keep them in your prayers. We are safely about 9 miles north of the fire, but anything can happen. The Hayman fire in 2002 burned 215 square miles of forest. We’re far from evacuation for now, but we’re prepared to leave if need be. The entire area smells of smoke and it is unpleasant for all, dangerous for some.
About Chris Jeub