More IMET dispatches - right at home!

In September....my first day back to work from our August Montana trip, the wind was just HOWLIN! Gusts around 40 mph were common, but there were a few up to 60 mph. Around 10:15am, we got a call from the Boulder Fire Department requesting a spot forecast for a fire in Boulder canyon. Weird I thought. Then I went to the roof of my work building and saw this!!!!

It was the beginning of the Fourmile Canyon Fire, the costliest fire in Colorado history! It was really strange to see such a big fire right outside my window - I usually have to fly great distances to see this. Well, after 2 days, the Incident Management team requested an Incident Meteorologist - and I WAS IT! This was my first fire certified (had just gotten certified at the Eagle Trail fire in Tok, Alaska earlier in the summer) and was a bit intimidated by the national media this fire was getting. But, like always, I had a great team to work with. After around 7 days, we were winding the incident down as the firefighters were doing a great job putting the Fourmile Canyon Fire to rest.....when the Reservoir Road fire near Loveland started. The team took command of this fire too, so I was producing two shift forecasts for two fires! It was a bit hectic, but again, had a GREAT team to work with. All in all, I was there for 11 days, what a great experience - just weird having it in practically my backyard and not being able to sleep in my awesome tempurpedic bed each night.....it was camping with everyone else for me!
A beautiful sunrise coming up over the crews tents one morning

The unfortunate destruction, but looking forward to new forrest growth and NO flooding issues hopefully!

Each night, little fun toads would come by the doors of the Incident Command Post. It was usually around a break time, so I would go out and just stare at them, get my mind off of the fire for a few minutes.

I had a great Fire Behavior Analyst (FBAN) to work for, learned and laughed a ton. Thanks Tyler!!!