Fires

Fires are a big hazard in our valley.  Fires normally occur in the summer and fall because of humans, lightning, dry weather, and other causes.
Hazards From Fires
  • It can cause a lot smoke which is unhealthy for the air
  • It burns nine million acres a year
  • The flames threaten people and buildings
  • Smoke can cause health problems
Benefits From Fires
  • Burn dead shrubs
  • Cleans the bugs and disease out of the forest.
  • Fires clear out the older and dead trees, and let the ground cover and smaller plants receive sunlight
  • Fires kill disease in the forests​
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Fact:
            90 percent of all fires are caused by humans.
Past Fires in the Roaring Fork
Coal Seam Fire--    In Glenwood Springs, 2002, there was a fire that burned 29 homes and 12,000 acres of land.
Storm King Fire-- In Glenwood Springs, 1994, 14 people died in the Storm King Fire.
Panorama Fire-- In Carbondale, 2002, the Panorama Fire burned houses and land in Missouri Heights.

Floods

Floods mostly happen in the Roaring Fork during spring, right after winter.  All the snow melts and runs through the rivers causing floods. 
Hazards From Floods
Benefits From Floods
  • Floods can drown people. When people are trying to drive through the water they can get stuck and the water could get into their car which could end up killing them.
  • Floods can create waterborne disease.
  • Flood waters may have more than 100 types of disease-causing bacteria, viruses and parasites.
Fact: 
​Floods need to happen at least once a year so the rivers don’t dry out.
  • Floods can benefit rivers and riparian areas because rivers sometimes need a little flush through to be healthier.
  • Floods make soil more capable of producing vegetation and crops.
  • When the levels are too low, rivers need more water and floods will bring more water.
Past Floods in the Roaring Fork
  • 1995, June 18 and July 13
The Roaring Fork River was at 12,000 cubic feet per second peak flood flow. Luckily, no one died and it was not major.
  • 1995, June 19
The Colorado River was at 45,000 cfs peak flow.  Again, no one died and it was a minor flood.
  • 2015, June 17
There was a flood in the Roaring Fork River by Aspen. This flood was not major but made some erosion.

Avalanches

​In Aspen we have a lot of avalanches because we have tall and steep mountains, also we have a lot of snowfall which causes avalanches.
Hazards From Avalanches
Benefits From Avalanches
  • Kills and injures people. Multiple people have been killed in avalanches.
  • When trees fall over it gives us less air.
  • If trees fall over that kills the homes of birds, insects, rodents and other small creatures.
  • Animals that don’t notice there is an avalanche they can be swept under their feet and killed. That can kill high alpine animals such as, bighorn sheep.
Facts:
  • 25 % percent of people survive in a hour trapped in a avalanche. If they do, they had a big pocket of air.
  • 35 % percent of people survive in a total of 35 minutes trapped in a avalanche.​
  • When avalanches happen that will stabilize the mountain and be more safe for skiers.
  • Over time if an avalanche does not happen it can build up over time and that will destroy more nature and animals.
    • Avalanches kill animals so the ones that survive can feed off over the dead ones.
  • In avalanche chutes shrubs,grasses and herbs multiply feeding more animals.
  • When trees fall down it creates shelters or houses for some animals such as the snowshoe hare. and multiple other animals.
Facts:
  • 90% percent of people survive in the first fifteen minutes in a avalanche.
  • Dry avalanches can reach speeds up to 60 to 80 miles per hour in the range of five seconds. If the avalanche is wet it can only go 20 miles per hour at the most.
Past Avalanches in the Roaring Fork
  • Maroon Bowl March 19, 2002
This avalanche had enough force to take out a big freight train. This was a very powerful avalanche. Four people were in this and they survived.
  • Sunshine Peak  March 13, 2007
The lead skier triggered an avalanche in the bowl. There were 3 skiers and 1 survived. Two were buried and found.
  • Highlands Bowl March 31, 1984
The ski patrolman, Chris Kessler, Tom Synder and Craig Snoddy were doing avalanche work and caused an avalanche and could not get away and died. There are runs named after them and there is a shrine for them to.

Works Cited

http://www.aspentimes.com/news/16854561-113/roaring-fork-river-hits-flood-stage-in-aspen
http://www.waterinfo.org/node/1686
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/flood/gifts3.html
https://www.readycolorado.com/hazard/wildfire
http://www.postindependent.com/article/20120608/VALLEYNEWS/120609907
http://www.postindependent.com/news/12037702-113/fire-glenwood-memorial-firefighters
http://2014rffieldguide.weebly.com/hazards-avalanche-fire-flood.html