Deadly crash on US 550
Two adults died and a baby was injured in a crash on U.S. 550 Monday evening. The Montrose Daily Press reports that the victims were traveling toward Montrose and were approaching the intersection with Solar Road, when the driver attempted to pass multiple vehicles in their Toyota Corolla. Colorado State Patrol Sgt. Jeremy Tice said on Wednesday that the driver attempted to merge back into the correct lane, but lost control, likely due to excessive speed. The car slammed into a Dodge Ram 2500 driven by a 55-year-old Montrose man who was traveling down a private driveway. The Toyota rolled, and the Ram went into a small ditch. Witnesses pushed the Toyota upright to aid the passengers, but were unable to save them. The one-year-old girl was taken to the hospital with serious injuries and then transported to the Children’s Hospital in Colorado Springs. The crash remains under investigation, with autopsies and toxicology reports pending.
Uncompahgre Water Users Association unsure if farmers will have enough water for winter crops
The Uncompahgre Water Users Association has put out a somewhat dire statement regarding this year’s drought: “Management and staff are closely monitoring the water coming in into and releasing from Taylor, Blue Mesa and Ridgway reservoirs. Due to the severity of the drought, along with the windy, hot weather and severe fires burning in our communities, we are working on a plan to get our agricultural producers enough water to harvest their summer crops. At this point, we have no expectation to be able to provide water for the winter crops, we may see a strong monsoon season, and at that time we will be able to make the decision if we can stretch our water to the end of October. Please be mindful of your water usage during this time."
Ouray cancels this year's water fights
The town of Ouray decided that, in addition to its fourth of july fireworks show, it is cancelling this year’s annual water fights. The event involves teams facing each other on Main Street in Ouray, armed with fire hoses spewing water at full force. According to the Telluride Times, the tradition grew in the old mining days of Ouray in the late 1800s and is usually a highlight of the Ouray 4th of July celebration. The Fourth of July weekend celebrations are important for the Ouray economy, and some residents expressed frustration with the decision online. However, The City emphasizes that public safety remains the top priority. Residents and visitors are encouraged to remain aware of the current Gold Mountain Fire activity, respect all Stage 2 Fire Restrictions, and follow any emergency instructions should conditions change. As of 5pm yesterday, the Ouray Volunteer Fire Department Benefit Concert at Fellin Park is still scheduled for Friday, and the town parade is still slated to take place on Saturday.
Meeting informs Ouray residents of latest fire updates
Tuesday evening, local officials involved in the response to the Gold Mountain Fire hosted a community meeting to inform residents of the latest information about the fire and response.
Tyler Nathe, The Operations Section Chief with Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management said that the team isn’t just fighting the fire day-by-day, but engaging in a complex planning process, saying, "We're looking really far out, six, seven, eight...12 days, and try to forecast what this is going to do so that we're not surprised."
Dana Gardunio, a District Ranger at the U.S. Forest Service, also told the crowd that she's "gearing up for this being a marathon and not a sprint."
Nathe went into detail about various strategies that are being used in different areas with private residences. But he also acknowledged that the fire is largely burning in areas that are remote and uninhabited. In those areas, he said, the priority has to be human lives. That means avoiding engaging any firefighters in difficult, tough country where no structures or lives are at risk.
According to Cheeseborough, officials have been asked why there aren't more aircrafts flying. He said it's due to wind that limits the ability for aviators to fly safely, and that the terrain and smoke makes the situation "pretty complex" for flying.
Cheeseborough also addressed the status of resources. He said that due to wildfires across the region and nation, resources are limited. He said that "activities picked up nationally. And so there are some challenges with getting those resources, you know, nationally."
Ouray County Sheriff Justin Perry also addressed concerns about some phones not receiving alerts. He told the crowd, “not only do we have an overloaded system trying to get messages out, but we also had a cell tower that was damaged and destroyed in this fire. So if most of you were on Verizon and you're not getting those, there's a reason why you weren't getting the messages. If it was via cell phone, and that is because of that tower. We are working on that. I think some of that has actually been restored. We had a cell tower that came through that they were trying to get that put up outside of the city of Ouray. And I know there's actually a city of Ouray booster also within town. It should be helping a little bit.”
Several of the speakers also thanked local responders.
KVNF will continue to keep you updated on the status of the Gold Mountain Fire.
Smoke poses health risks for Coloradans
The state health department has issued a health advisory for more than a dozen counties in Colorado because of wildfire smoke.
Fires burning in Utah and Colorado have brought smokey skies in recent days.
Carlyn Porter is an epidemiologist with Pitkin County’s public health department.
She says if you can see or smell smoke, try to avoid strenuous outdoor activities.
Porter says low-stress activities like walking your dog are fine, but extended smoke exposure can lead to serious respiratory or circulatory issues.
N-95 masks can help, but Porter doesn’t think they’re very practical in the summer heat.
When it’s visibly smokey, she says staying inside with a HEPA approved filter is your best bet.
