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El Paso County, municipal leaders warn of flash-flood risk on Waldo Canyon burn scar and urge preparedness
Summary
County and city officials urged residents near the Waldo Canyon burn scar to check risk maps, prepare 72-hour emergency kits, and move to higher ground if warned, citing the fire-damaged soil's reduced ability to absorb rainfall.
El Paso County elected officials and municipal leaders warned residents that areas scarred by the Waldo Canyon Fire remain at increased risk of flash flooding and urged people to check county and city websites, make emergency plans and prepare 72-hour kits.
Commissioner Sally Clark, El Paso County, said the 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire “scorched over 18,000 acres and destroyed more than 300 homes” in her district and warned, “Know whether you need to relocate to higher ground.” Mayor Steve Bach of Colorado Springs directed residents to springsgov.com for localized flood-risk information. El Paso County Commissioner Daryl Glenn noted that the burn scar “doesn't absorb water like unburned ground,” increasing the flash-flood threat.
Joe Ribeiro, chief of the Manitou Springs Police Department, urged residents to heed the community's flash-flood warning siren and move to higher ground if it sounds. “Stay away from the creek. Swift moving water and debris can be deadly, and the banks and bridges may be unstable,” Ribeiro said, adding that visitors should be assisted when possible. Mayor Lori Worthy of Green Mountain Falls likewise warned that this year’s flash-flood season “could be severe” for areas affected by the burn scar and advised residents to include medications in emergency kits.
Officials repeated practical steps: determine whether a home or business lies in a flood-risk zone via elpasosco.com or springsgov.com, decide in advance whether to shelter in place or relocate to higher ground, and assemble an emergency kit with at least 72 hours of supplies. Several speakers used variations of the public-safety slogan: “Emergency preparedness starts with you. Know your risks. Make your plan. Improve your outcome.”
These announcements were delivered as public safety notices; no formal actions or votes were recorded in the transcript. The officials’ statements focused on hazard awareness, individual preparedness steps and how to find local risk maps and guidance online.
