Five years ago today, the rain began to fall in what became one of the state’s most significant flood disasters, impacting twenty-four counties and causing millions of dollars in damage. The Colorado communities affected by the September 2013 floods showed amazing resilience and are thriving once again. Here are some State of Colorado resources that […]
Ground subsidence problems are very real in Colorado. Whether from naturally occurring elements in the soil or from the effects of Colorado’s mining history, the ground in certain parts of Colorado is susceptible to settling, collapsing, expanding, heaving, or swelling, all of which can have potentially hazardous effects on structures. So how do you know […]
Here’s where to go to get the latest on the multiple wildfires burning across the state: Updates and maps from the State Emergency Operations Center: http://www.coemergency.com/. Check here for a list of all Facebook/Twitter accounts for individual fires. Also, see CoEmergency Facebook page. Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) Division of Fire Prevention […]
As hot and dry as it has been so far this summer, it’s hard to believe that most of Colorado’s floods — the September 2013 floods being a significant exception — occur in June and July. In our library you can find many resources on the history of flooding in Colorado. Many flood events are […]
With this past winter being relatively dry, fire danger is expected to be higher than usual this year, especially in areas of lower elevation. The State of Colorado has numerous resources to help you prepare. This consumer alert from the Colorado Division of Insurance will help you determine if your property is adequately insured. The […]
It’s not a pleasant topic, but it’s certainly an important one for cities and towns to learn from. Exactly ten years ago, in March and April 2008, the city of Alamosa experienced a deadly Salmonella outbreak that caused at least 442 confirmed illnesses and, according to estimates, as many as 1,300 people – 15{66eaadba41c14e7e553ffe7a4ee73fbae213b19704eda0514b3dd79e37e4c0c5} of […]
The recent hurricane events have demonstrated the importance of being prepared for disaster. Even though we don’t get hurricanes in our state, there are a number of other disasters to prepare for — including both natural disasters (floods, fires, tornadoes, storms, avalanches, rockslides) and manmade disasters (terrorism, active shooters, power outages). There are many personal […]
2017 is turning out to be a historic year for hurricane activity in the U.S., as the Gulf Coast works to recover from Hurricane Harvey and the Atlantic Coast braces for Hurricane Irma. While we don’t have to worry about hurricanes in Colorado, our state’s two largest universities both engage in significant research on hurricanes. […]
Twenty years ago today a major flood hit Fort Collins. Heavy rainfall of 3 inches per hour began late in the evening of July 27 and continued throughout the day on the 28th. Homes were flooded, a train derailed, a gas leak caused an explosion near Prospect Road, and in the end, the flood left […]
‘Tis the season for fires and floods, and if a disaster threatens your home and family, your furry pals will be affected, too. According to the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM), “one of the biggest reasons people return to danger/evacuation zones is to save their pets.” DHSEM and the state’s emergency […]
Yesterday the Colorado front range was hit hard with a storm producing heavy rains, hail, lightning, and high winds. The months of May and June typically see the most severe thunderstorm activity on the Colorado plains…in fact, Colorado also experienced a severe storm exactly sixty years ago, May 8, 1957. I found this factoid by […]
Spring snowstorms and freezes like those experienced in Denver metro area this weekend can cause significant tree damage, due to the cold in combination with the weight of the snow on trees that have already leafed out. If you experienced tree damage this weekend, the Colorado State University Extension and Colorado State Forest Service have […]
On April 14 the Governor and the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control (DFPC) presented on the outlook for the 2017 wildfire season. “The number, intensity, and complexity of wildfires in Colorado have been growing exponentially, and experts predict that it will continue to worsen,” notes the Department of Public Safety’s press release. Each […]
Avalanche danger is nothing new in Colorado. Forty years ago, the University of Colorado’s Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research issued their publication Century of Struggle Against Snow: A History of Avalanche Hazard in San Juan County, Colorado. The publication, which can be viewed online via our library, examines avalanches and avalanche disasters in the […]
This fall the Colorado School of Mines unveiled a new memorial dedicated to the victims of the White Ash Mine disaster of 1889. Ten miners lost their lives in the accident near Golden, Colorado. The White Ash Mine was located adjacent to the Loveland Mine, which had been shut down in 1881 following a fire. […]
Junkins Fire. Were you affected by the recent Junkins Fire, Beulah Hill Fire, or Hayden Pass Fire? The Governor has declared a disaster emergency for each of these wildfires. Of the three recent fires, the Junkins Fire was the most destructive, destroying nine homes and nine other structures. And with the recent warm, dry weather, […]
In July of 1996 — twenty years ago this month — the town of Buffalo Creek was hit by a disastrous flash flood that took two lives and caused severe damage to property. Buffalo Creek is located in the western foothills of Jefferson County, about an hour from Denver. It was founded in 1877. Known […]
In 1998 the University of Colorado’s Natural Hazards Center issued a paper entitled What Hazards and Disasters Are Likely in the 21st Century — Or Sooner? This paper predicted that disasters in the new millennium would go beyond the natural disasters of the previous centuries to include: 1.Events and conditions that exacerbate existing technological hazards; […]
Governor Hickenlooper has declared May, 2016 as Colorado Building Safety Month. This month brings recognition to the work of architects, engineers, and construction workers, as well as fire prevention professionals, to reduce risk of structure fire, collapse, flooding, airborne pollutants, and other potential injury-causing structural defects and problems. In our library you can read more […]
Three days after the coming of spring, Colorado returned to winter today with a major blizzard. If you find yourself needing to make an insurance claim, whether it be from an auto accident, a personal injury, or damage to your home, be sure to read the Colorado Division of Insurance’s Winter Mishaps and Your Insurance. […]
Volcanoes in Colorado? While we don’t have volcanoes in Colorado today, volcanoes certainly played a role in the geological formation of the area. Evidence of volcanoes can be found as close to Denver as Dinosaur Ridge. In the Colorado Geological Survey’s Dinosaurs in Our Backyard: A Dynamic Visit to Dinosaur Ridge, Fossil Trace and Red […]