Tag: Disaster Declaration

By Nick Smith | The Denver Gazette After several lightning strikes set parts of western Colorado aflame two weeks ago, five wildfires have consumed 42,431 acres as incident management teams make headway on containment. A drought in the West, hot temperatures and powerful wind gusts have allowed the fires to thrive while crews have had to deal with challenging mountainous terrain. The Turner Gulch, Sowbelly, South Rim and Wright Draw fires prompted several evacuations and caused Gov. Jared Polis to issue a disaster declaration. This allowed the state to mobilize its resources, including supplies, equipment and personnel, to assist in battling the blazes. The declaration also allowed Colorado to request aid from FEMA and other federal agencies, should that become necessary. The d...