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The fire was monitored and left to creep slowly for two days. On July 4, the BLM sent in ground crews and reinforced them July 5th with smokejumpers and air tanker drops. By July 6, a total of 49 BLM and Forest Service firefighters were at the scene. Around 4:00 p.m, a fast, moving cold front whipped flames over many of the firefighters. Fourteen firefighters were killed as the fire roared eastward cutting off their avenues of escape. The fire then covered the seven miles of rough terrain to West Glenwood Springs in only ninety minutes. Homes, businesses and improvements in West Glenwood were threatened. Spot fires leaped ahead into the Glenwood Springs city limits. County, wide mutual aid was activated. Because of the fatalities and threats to Glenwood Springs, the fire quickly became the nation's top wildfire priority. National and state resources including Colorado Army National Guard helicopters were deployed. City fire engines were mobilized to the scene from throughout much of Colorado. The State Forester implemented the State Emergency Fire Suppression Fund and early that evening FEMA made South Canyon Fire a Fire Suppression Assistance fire. Evacuation notices were given in Canyon Creek Estates and Mitchell Creek areas and structural fire defenses were set up. The fire burned around and near a number of homes and improvements but none were burned. There were no further injuries or fatalities. By control time, the fire burned 2340 acres of public and private land. Months later, heavy rains on the denuded hillsides sent avalanches of mud and rocks down over Interstate,70 twice closing the highway. Motorists were trapped in their vehicles but no major injuries or other fatalities occurred. III. Roxborough Fire Complex of 1994 A. General Information The fire area is the Front Range where flat plains meet the Rocky Mountains, and just twenty miles southwest of downtown Denver. Vegetation is mostly Gamble's oak (brush) with scattered pine and fir trees. The land is flat to rolling but becomes steep on the west where the mountains begin. Waterton Canyon bisects the area and the river is the boundary between Jefferson and Douglas counties. Generally, the flat sites are private and the steep areas are Pike National Forest. The private lands are becoming rapidly developed with large, year,round "rural" homes for the Denver metropolitan area. B, Weather Conditions Like the Western Slope, the Front Range was dry and experiencing hot windy days and lightoing stonns. Drought was not as severe as the Western Slope, and rapid attack was keeping most of the fires on the Eastern Slope small. On July II, 1994, the day of ignition, winds were strong from the west at 45 mph. The wind pushed the fire downhill to the east in the afternoon when nonnal daytime fire spread would have been uphill. Forecast for the evening was for continued strong west winds. Description of Event The Roxborough Fire was first reported at 12:30 p.m. on July II. The fire was one of three started by lightning on Pike National Forest lands west of Sedalia, Colorado in Jefferson and Douglas counties. Fire department forces were sent to all three fires by the counties. U.S. Forest Service and Colorado State Forest Service forces were also sent. Because of its close proximity and downhill spread toward developments, Roxborough became the priority fire. About 800 homes were in its vicinity and nearby residents were being evacuated. The strategy was for heavy structure protection, and 44 different fire agencies responded. Heavy attack by USFS air tankers and Army National Guard helicopters with buckets began but was nearly halted by poor air,to,air radio communications. Ground forces coordination was also difficult because of overtaxed radio communications. News media presence was high. Evening winds failed to materialize. The improved weather and heavy use of Army Guard helibuckets resulted in fire containment late the next morning. A total of 92 acres burned. Roxborough Fire is a prime success story of rapid attack in the interface: few acres burned; no structures burned; no major injuries or fatalities. IV. Olde Stage Fire of 1990 A. General Information The fire area lies next to and north of the city of Boulder, Colorado. Topography is steep forested mountains on the west and flat agricultural areas on the east. Elevations range from 6700 feet down to 5500 feet. The north,south Hogback ridge bisects the fire area. It is the foothills and eastern face of the Rocky Mountains. The steep areas have a few roads but access is limited The steepness also contributes to the rapid spread of wildfire. Natural fuels consist mostly of ponderosa pine trees, grass and some scattered brush in the drier, rocky sites. Pasture or fallow croplands are found east of US Highway 36. Land ownerships are private and city open'space. Some are large tracts remaining from old ranches or farmlands while others are small,acreage homesites. Most of the bomesites are in the forested or brush areas. The close proximity to Boulder together with the isolation from urban settings make it another attractive bedroom area so typical in the forest,brush parts of Colorado. It is yet another example of true interface. Wildfire awareness within the county existed from open fire restrictions earlier in the year, the Black Tiger fire disaster B-2 . . .