What Other Favorite Birding Areas Are Under Siege From Fire?

[The "Nunn Guy"]

I would assume we have quite a few birding areas in peril of late?

Thanks Gary Lefko, Nunn
http://coloradobirder.ning.com

[Robb Hinds]

The following may not be under siege but are closed due to the fire in Colorado Springs.

 

Pulpit Rock Park
Section 16
Ute Valley Park
Stratton Open Space
Red Rock Canyon Open Space
Garden of the Gods Park
Palmer Park
North Cheyenne Canon Park
Pikes Peak Highway and High Drive
Garden of the Gods Visitor’s Center
Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site
Starsmore Discovery Center
Helen Hunt Fall Visitor’s Center
Blodgett Open Space

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[Barry]

Boulder County: News reports say that the Upper Skunk Canyon area north

and west of NCAR was burning last night. I don't know how this has affected

the Skunk Canyon Trail.

 

- Barry Gingrich

  Broomfield, CO

[Christian Nunes]

This is false information. The fire is nowhere near Skunk Canyon. It is on the south side of Bear Canyon, mostly on, or south of, the Bear Peak West Ridge. It is also many miles from Flagstaff Mountain, so why they call it the Flagstaff Fire is beyond me.
 
The area where the fire is burning is one of the most remote regions on the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks system. The main drainage is called Aspen Canyon. A wonderful area, considered by many (myself included) to be one of the most wild and ecologically rich habitat blocks that we have. This is a small fire, and I have no doubt that the repercussions will be mostly positive for the birds. I know there will be some sad Flammulated Owls and Dusky Grouse, but there will be some very happy woodpeckers, Olive-sided Flycatchers, and the like. Although the devastation in Colorado Springs is terrible, it helps to keep an open mind and apply a broad temporal scope when thinking about the ecological consequences of these fires.
 
Christian Nunes
Boulder, CO

 
 

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Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2012 11:48:44 -0700
From: barrylg...@gmail.com
To: cob...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [cobirds] Re: What Other Favorite Birding Areas Are Under Siege From Fire?

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[Barry]

Thank you for the correction, Christian. I'm glad that Skunk Canyon is ok, but sad about the actual region that has burned. I apologize for passing on incorrect information. I got it from what I thought was a reliable source, the Boulder Office of Emergency Management website. Strangely, this information about "upper Skunk Canyon" is still listed on the official Boulder OEM Emergency Status page at http://boulderoem.com/emergency-status :

 

> June 26 --  Fire 9 p.m. update

> ...

> * The fire is burning in upper Skunk Canyon. just west of the NIST/NOAA campus, and expected to produce smoke in Boulder through the night.

 

^^^^ This information is incorrect.

 

I also agree that "Flagstaff Fire" is a misnomer. The original (informal) name, "Bison Fire" seems more accurate to me.

 

Here's a perimeter map of the "Flagstaff" Fire that the Denver Post put together earlier today: http://goo.gl/maps/nS9B

See also http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_20951733

 

If this map is correct, the fire is nowhere near Skunk Canyon. The perimeter they show is *southwest* of NCAR.