Fiery rollover north of Pueblo causes delays on northbound I-25

A 19-year-old was able to escape a burning vehicle after flipping their car on the interstate Wednesday morning. State Patrol says the driver was traveling north between Pueblo and Colorado Springs when they lost control and rolled their pickup. The truck burst into flames after crashing, but the teen was able to climb out, only suffering moderate injuries. The rollover happened about 5:30 a.m. just south of mile marker 111. One lane on northbound I-25 was briefly closed while troopers and firefighters responded to the scene. Firefighters had the fire extinguished within minutes, and a spokesperson for State Patrol says the fire did not spread beyond the vehicle. The lane was reopened by 6:10 a.m. Troopers said the vehicle was either in a shoulder or on the frontage road and was not blocking any part of the interstate.
KKTV CBS 11 Colorado Springs

Man steals fire truck after claiming Boulder firefighters told him to move it

A 28-year-old man has been arrested on a charge of aggravated motor vehicle theft for stealing a fire truck in Boulder, according to police. According to an arrest affidavit obtained from the Boulder County Jail, 28-year-old Kirill Kiefel was arrested for the incident that took place on Sunday. Boulder Police Officer Tyler Valdez responded to an emergency call at the intersection of 13th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue at around 1 a.m. Sunday. The Boulder intersection is in the University Hill neighborhood and is in front of the popular restaurant, The Sink. According to Valdez, the emergency call was in response to someone stealing a Boulder Fire Department fire truck.
KDVR-TV FOX 31 Denver

Colorado Springs Fire Department shares fire escape tips for Fire Prevention Month

October is Fire Prevention Month, and the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) is spreading awareness with this year’s theme, “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape.” For the month of October, CSFD is reminding the community about the importance of having a home fire escape plan. The National Fire Protection Association reports that our home is the place people feel safest from fire, however it is where people are at the greatest risk, with 74% of all U.S fire deaths occurring inside homes. Firefighters recommend developing a home escape plan with all members of the household and practicing it regularly so everyone knows what to do when the smoke alarms sound. CSFD said that you only have three minutes to get out of your home when the smoke alarm sounds.
KXRM-TV FOX 21 Colorado Springs

Feds: Hunters ignited 2019 Cow Creek Fire

The 2019 Cow Creek Fire, which burned about 850 acres of forest east of Ridgway and cost more than $2 million to suppress, was caused by an improvised and improperly installed spark arrestor at a hunting camp run by a local outfitter business, according to the U.S. Forest Service. More than 1,000 days after the fire started near Courthouse Mountain, the agency completed its investigation into the fire and released an Origin and Cause Supplemental Incident Report, in response to a Freedom of Information Act request from the Plaindealer. The hunting outfitter named in the report disputes the agency’s determination. The agency hadn’t released any official information about the cause of the fire until May 2022, when Ouray District Ranger Dana Gardunio responded to a question about it at a town hall meeting for the Simms Fire.
KJCT-TV ABC 8 Grand Junction

Former Denver Bronco Chase Vaughn inspires community in new career as a firefighter

VIDEO: Behind the wheel of a fire engine is the last place Chase Vaughn ever thought he'd be. "It's a whole different level of responsibility, and a lot more math involved," he said with a laugh. It's a job he's grown to love. He just didn't think a guy like him could actually be a firefighter. "As a kid, you see firefighters, but as a young Black kid, I didn't see Black firefighters," Vaughn told CBS Colorado's Kelly Werthmann. "So, for me at least, it didn't click that was an obtainable job for me to do." So, growing up, he chased down a different dream. Vaughn followed his love of football from Smoky Hill High School in Aurora to Colorado State University in Pueblo. Eventually, he made it to the ultimate hometown team. "I grew up around the Broncos and Broncos fans. For that to be the team that gave me my shot, that was awesome," Vaughn said.
KCNC-TV CBS 4 Denver

Wildfire Mitigation Forum brings experts from across the country to Colorado Springs

On Monday morning, firefighters, experts, and professionals from around the country gathered in Colorado Springs for a forum on creating wildfire-resilient communities. Experts on the panel say that the 5 biggest wildfires in Colorado have happened over the last 12 years. That number does not include the Waldo Canyon fire. Director of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control Mike Morgan spoke at the panel today. "It's about getting the groups together from local governments, from state governments, to talk about what are the things we can do collaboratively what are the things that are easy to accomplish to make sure we're all pulling in the same direction," said Morgan.
KOAA-TV NBC 5 Pueblo

Colorado Springs Mayor proposes a $420 million budget

The Colorado Springs Mayor's office has presented the proposed 2023 budget to city council with a continued emphasis on increasing public safety. Of the total $420 million in planned expenditures, more than $2.5 million is set aside for more police officers, police vehicles and firefighters. Suthers also proposed an additional $11.3 million for salary increases for all civilian and sworn employees, which includes police and fire. In his annual state of the city address last month, Suthers said that as the city continues to grow in both population and geography, it will be "daunting" for public safety resources to keep up. The city currently has 803 authorized positions for police officers. Next year's proposed allocation would allow for 15 more. Citing a recent study by the city, Suthers said the force will need to exceed 1,000 officers by 2035.
Colorado Public Radio

Denver firefighters work to abate fuel danger at encampments

VIDEO: With colder weather coming soon, concerns about fire danger in homeless encampments are on the rise. FOX31 has reported that by the end of fall 2021, the Denver Fire Department received more than 500 emergency fire calls for encampments. Crews discovered more than 15,000 pounds of propane and 462 gallons of gasoline. The fire department said it conducts regular sweeps to monitor the use of potentially dangerous fuel sources to keep those living in tents and adjacent neighborhoods safe. While conducting sweeps lowers the risk of fire, Denver Fire Capt. J.D. Chism said that informing and helping those living on the streets is also a top priority.
KDVR-TV FOX 31 Denver