Medano Fire- Sand Dunes

For those of you with plans on visiting the Sand Dunes this month (and possibly next) be advised that the Medano Pass road is closed as well as many of the campsites in the area due to the fire. It blew up explosively today, probably well over 1000 acreas by now, the smoke plume covers the whole southern sky here in Pueblo and im getting reports of ash falling over the wet mountains/greenhorn. Im getting nervous watching my fav park go up in smoke The fire is currently moving north and east up the medano pass drainage and on the ridge. Flames are quite visible formthe VC according to the folks i spoke to out there. Its going to be extremely dry at least through the next week, so no relief in sight.

Smoke now visible from space over se Colorado!

Stan, just saw this. I love that road and the campsites up there too. Hopefully some of it will be spared. Let's hope some storms build in the valley...

Had no idea this was going on. Thanks for bringing this up. Hopefully the winds will die down and the fire will get contained.

I had heard that your dunes were on fire earlier in the week, but had no idea it was still burning Hope they get it under control soon. The winds there are certainly no help.

According to 9news, sounds like they are letting it burn to restore the ecosystem.

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=141273&catid=339

Hmmm.... Supposed to take the kiddos down there next weekend.

Well that certainly explains the copper colored sunlight streaming over our house. I figured it was a fire much closer to Pueblo, as it just sort of moved overhead with a vengeance this afternoon.

The Park Service thought it was a good idea back in '88 to let the fires in Yellowstone burn for ecosystem restoration, too.

BTW, if wind patterns change and the fire is pushed out over the dune field, will we end up with dunes made of glass?

They might be easier to climb if solidified. It'd be a shame if the great old ponderosa savanna on the back of the dunes was lost.