Monday, October 31, 2016

NASA Testing Asteroid Detection System

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An asteroid detected only one week ago passed within 310,000 miles of earth last night. NASA's new SCOUT system is able to detect asteroids, automatically calculate the trajectory and then automatically order 5 telescopes around the world to follow up with observations to confirm the trajectory. SCOUT is detecting 5 previously unidentified asteroids per day on average.

Bighorn Sheep Population Recovering in Colorado After Disease Die-Off in the 1990's

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Sunday, October 30, 2016

Hundreds of Evacuees Allowed Back Home in Highlands Ranch

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200 acres scorched. Investigators say the fire was started by a malfunctioning utility pole. The JUnkins fire was also started by a sparking ower line. I think it would be a less expensive to require utilities to put all lines underground compared to the annual costs of fighting fires caused by above-ground power lines.

Friday, October 28, 2016

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Educational Video - How To Avoid Collisions With Wildlife

Video
On average, 260 people are injured and 3 people killed each year in Colorado because of vehicle collisions with wildlife. A majority of these accidents occur in the spring and fall when wildlife are migrating to and from the high country.

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Arrest Made in Beaver Creek Fire

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A teenager is charged with starting this fire. This kid is in big trouble - millions of dollars spent fighting this 38,000 acre fire since June.

Racoon Causes Power Outage in Aurora

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Reminiscent of the Haldron Collider - Pop Goes the Weasel

CSU Scientist Provides Weather Explanation for the Bermuda Triangle

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An interesting theory and it makes sense. It would also explain rogue waves.

CU Professor Debuts Film Theorizing That a Volcanic Eruption Initiated the Dark Ages

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An anthropology professor's lifetime of research has led him to conclude that a large volcanic eruption in El Salvador in the year 535 caused a global cooling event that caused world-wide crop failures, famine, die-off of human populations and decline of civilizations. Recent investigations Link have concluded that this eruption was the 2nd largest in the last 200,000 years.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Some Junkins Wildfire Evacuees Allowed Back Home in Beulah

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Information was spotty when this fire was first reported on Monday but it strongly suggests to me that the Junkins wildfire was started by an ember blown by 70 mph winds from the fully contained but still burning Beulah Wildfire.

Bear Gets in Car, Shifts to Neutral, Crashes Into Tree

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Somewhere in the Grand Lake - Winter Park area. It's been about 4 years since a similar event happened in Larkspur.

Arizona Highway Smothered in Wildfire Smoke Causes Nuerous Accidents

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This could happen in Colorado but I am not aware of any past reports of accidents except for firefighters traveling to the wildfire.

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Junkins Fire Has Consumed 4 More Homes and More Out Buildings

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114 firefighters, 5 air tankers and 2 helicopters currently trying to contain the fire.

The Right Way to Shoot Nuisance Bears

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The bear that visited Sunflower Farm near Longmont 2 weeks ago was shot in the rear end with a rubber pellet. The bear left and has not been back since.

Small Wildfire Near Rampart Reservoir

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Nearby water source aids helicopter bucket drops. Fire 50% contained.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Denver in Top 10 US Cities for Rodent Problems

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The headline says rats but is based on Orkin's rodent control jobs which could include mice, squirrels and wood rats.

Junkins Fire Near Westcliffe Burns Down 1 Home, 5 Outbuildings, Hwy 96 Closed

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Wildfire Near Westcliffe Scorches 15,000 Acres in 12 Hours Driven by 70 MPH Winds

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200 homes near Westcliffe under mandatory evacuation order. A huge smoke plume rolled into the Denver metro area yesterday afternoon driven by southerly winds. I don't think records are kept on first day fire size but this has to be a record. No indication of what started the fire but probably human caused as skies were clear.

Monday, October 17, 2016

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Homeowner Burning Garden Debris Caused Wildfire East of Aurora

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Wildfire Danger Very High With Forecast of Dry, Warm and Windy

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Drought conditions are intensifying as a warm, dry autumn is forecast to continue the next few weeks.

Bear Study in Durango Demonstrates Futility of Colorado's 2 Strikes and Out Law

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This study, which tracks 85 bears that were collared in 2011, provides very detailed and important data demonstrating bears and people can co-exist. The best way to reduce bear-people conflicts is to use bear-proof trash cans. Durango did so this year, and the number of conflicts dropped dramatically from 520 in 2015 to 54 this year.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

300 Acre Grass Fire Near Deer Trail

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Man At Shooitng Range That Sparked Wildfire Near Keystone Cited For Arson

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Avalanche Educators Conference Focuses on Influence of Social Media

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The bottom line of their research is that groups of young males snowboarding the backcountry compete with each other and other groups to brag about taking the most extreme risks by posting videos on social media. If they were the only ones risking death by avalanche, I'd say let them do it but when avalanches are triggered, people that may be present downhill are at risk.

Monday, October 10, 2016

2.4 Quake Near Bailey

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29 people report having felt the quake. Very unusual to feel a quake of such low magnitude.

Friday, October 7, 2016

CDOT Trackhoe Spark Blamed for Beulah Wildfire

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The fire has scorched 5,000 acres, destroyed 8 homes and caused the evacuation of 2,000 people. CDOT has paid $5,000 to each of the owners whose homes burned down. That obviously isn't going to cover the replacement costs for the homes and the personal belongings in the homes. What isn't described in the article is where the spark originated from - exhaust without a proper spark arrestor or the backhoe bucket striking a rock and causing a spark. Also not explained is whether the crew did anything to try and douse the fire when it started.

Mountain Lion Spotted in Montrose City Park

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Monday, October 3, 2016

Incredible Story of Montana Man Attacked By a Grizzly Bear

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Another case of a female bear with cubs feeling threatened. This story is well worth the read for its details of ber protection he had available that were not effective. I believe his mistake was yelling repeatedly at the bears from a distance that attracted the mother's attention.

Mountain Lion Visits Home on Dolores River

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2.4 Quake in Evergreen

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Normally too small to be felt. No fraqcking going on in Evergreen.

61 Year-Old Greeley Man Dies After Falling Off Long's Peak

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He slipped on an icy portion of the trail and fell 100 feet.