Lightning sparked a wildfire which scorched around 8500 acres east of Fountain. The fire began south of the intersection of Squirrel Creek Road and Milne Road and spread to the north and west.
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Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS PUB wrote it up.
Lightning sparked a wildfire which scorched around 8500 acres east of Fountain. The fire began south of the intersection of Squirrel Creek Road and Milne Road and spread to the north and west. Seventeen structures were destroyed, including three houses. One house was designated a Centennial Ranch by the Colorado Historical Society. The blaze was contained seven hours after it began. Over 60 firefighters fought the blaze.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Pueblo, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 1, 2:35 AM MST, 9 hours 40 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 335 AM MDT FRI AUG 1 2008 .SHORT TERM... (TODAY AND TONIGHT) MAIN CONCERNS REVOLVE AROUND THE POTENTIAL FOR CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS. ANOTHER GENERALLY DRY AND HOT DAY IS IN STORE FOR THE FORECAST AREA AS THE UPR RIDGE REMAINS CENTERED OVR THE AREA. THE SFC PRESSURE GRADIENT WL INCREASE OVR SERN PLAINS TODAY AND IT LOOKS LIKE WIND GUSTS COULD BE AROUND 25 MPH WHICH IS THE WIND CRITERIA FOR A RED FLAG. THE WINDS MAY BE MARGINAL OVR SOME AREAS OF THE SERN PLAINS...LIKE PORTIONS OF PUEBLO AND EL PASO COUNTIES. H7 TEMPS ARE FORECAST TO RANGE FROM AROUND 17C OVR THE FAR SERN CORNER OF CO TO 22C OVR CENTRAL CO. THIS IS MUCH LIKE YESTERDAY...BUT OVR SOME AREAS IT WL BE A DEGREE OR TWO WARMER THAN ON THU. HIGH TEMPS OVR THE SERN PLAINS WL AGAIN BE IN THE UPR 90S TO LOWER 100S...WITH MID 80S TO LOWER 90S IN THE SAN LUIS VALLEY. COULD SEE SOME RECORDS BROKEN OR TIED TODAY. RECORD HIGHS TODAY...FOR COS 96...FOR PUB 103...AND FOR ALS 89. WITH THESE HOT TEMPS AND DEW POINTS EXPECTED TO BE IN THE 30S TO LOWER 40S IN THE AFTERNOON...RH VALUES WL BE BELOW 15 PERCENT OVR MOST OF THE LOWER ELEVATIONS. WITH THE VERY LOW RH VALUES...AND WIND BEING CLOSE TO OR EXCEEDING CRITERIA...HAVE DECIDED TO UPGRADE THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH TO A RED FLAG WARNING...AND WL ADD FIRE ZONE 226 TO BETTER MATCH UP WITH BOULDERS RED FLAG WARNING. THERE IS PROBABLY LITTLE CHANCE FOR MEASURABLE PCPN TODAY...BUT CANNOT RULE OUT SOME ISOLD SHOWERS/TSTMS OVR THE MTS. .LONG TERM... (SATURDAY-THURSDAY) SATURDAY-SUNDAY...NOT MUCH CHANGE IN FORECAST THINKING AS HOT AND MAINLY DRY PATTERN PROGGED ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY WITH LARGE 595+ DM UPPER HIGH ACROSS THE STATE. MODELS CONTINUE TO SLOWLY DRIFT THE UPPER HIGH SOUTH AND EAST INTO THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS ON SUNDAY...AS A BROAD UPPER TROUGH ACROSS THE PAC NORTHWEST BEGINS TO MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. EJECTING SHORT WAVE FROM PAC NORTHWEST SYSTEM TO DEVELOP LEE TROUGHING ACROSS THE HIGH PLAINS...WITH MODELS CONSISTENT IN DEVELOPING GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 15 TO 30 MPH ACROSS THE EASTERN PLAINS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND WITH CRITICAL FUELS AND LOW AFTERNOON HUMIDITIES PROGGED...HAVE ISSUED A FIRE WEATHER WATCH FOR THE FAR EASTERN PLAINS FROM 18Z SAT TO 03Z SUNDAY. PATTERN TO KEEP THE BULK OF MONSOON MOISTURE PLUME SOUTH AND WEST OF THE AREA ON SATURDAY...WITH SOME INCREASE IN AVAILABLE MOISTURE...MAINLY ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN AND CENTRAL COLORADO...ON SUNDAY WITH DEVELOPING SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. WITH STRONG JULY SUNSHINE...CANT RULE OUT ISOLATED CONVECTION ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN...THOUGH WITH THE WARM AIR ALOFT (18C TO 22C AT H7) LOOKS LIKE THE FAR EASTERN PLAINS TO REMAIN CAPPED. WITH THE WARM AIR IN PLACE...WILL BE FLIRTING WITH RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES AGAIN ON SATURDAY WITH RECORDS FOR ALS...COS AND PUB RESPECTFULLY 89...98...AND 104. EXPECTING ONLY SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES ON SUNDAY WITH MORE CONVECTIVE CLOUD COVER EXPECTED. MONDAY-THURSDAY...AGAIN MANY CHANGES TO CURRENT FORECAST AS AVAILABLE MOISTURE CONTINUES TO SLOWLY INCREASE ACROSS THE STATE AS THE UPPER LEVEL HIGH CONTINUES TO REMAIN JUST SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS. MODELS IN BETTER AGREEMENT WITH BROAD UPPER TROUGH TRAVERSING ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES MONDAY WITH ASSOCIATED FRONT MOVING INTO NORTHEAST COLORADO MONDAY AFTERNOON. FRONT CONTINUES ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS MONDAY NIGHT WITH COOLER UPSLOPE FLOW PROGGED ACROSS THE PLAINS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. WITH THE INCREASED MOISTURE...SHOULD CONTINUE TO SEE AN UPSWING IN CONVECTION ACROSS THE REGION WITH TEMPERATURES SLOWLY COOLING TO NEAR SEASONAL AVERAGES THROUGH THE PERIOD. -MW && .AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED ALL AREAS TODAY AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP OVER THE MOUNTAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING. IN THE VICINITY OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECT ERRATIC WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED TO END AROUND 03-04Z THIS EVENING. && .PUB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... RED FLAG WARNING FROM NOON TODAY TO 9 PM MDT THIS EVENING FOR COZ226>228-230>237. FIRE WEATHER WATCH FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING FOR COZ231>237. && 28/23
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PUEBLO CO 635 AM MDT FRI AUG 1 2008 COZ058>089-093>099-021245- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST LAKE COUNTY ABOVE 11000 FT- LEADVILLE VICINITY/LAKE COUNTY BELOW 11000 FT- EASTERN SAWATCH MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- WESTERN CHAFFEE COUNTY BETWEEN 9000 AND 11000 FT- CENTRAL CHAFFEE COUNTY BELOW 9000 FT- WESTERN MOSQUITO RANGE/EAST CHAFFEE COUNTY ABOVE 9000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY WEST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- SAGUACHE COUNTY EAST OF CONTINENTAL DIVIDE BELOW 10000 FT- LA GARITA MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- UPPER RIO GRANDE VALLEY/EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS BELOW 10000 FT- EASTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- DEL NORTE VICINITY/NORTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- ALAMOSA VICINITY/CENTRAL SAN LUIS VALLEY BELOW 8500 FT- SOUTHERN SAN LUIS VALLEY- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 8500 AND 11000 FT- NORTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FEET- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT- SOUTHERN SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS ABOVE 11000 FT- NORTHWESTERN FREMONT COUNTY ABOVE 8500 FT- WESTERN/CENTRAL FREMONT COUNTY BELOW 8500 FT- WET MOUNTAIN VALLEY BELOW 8500 FEET- WET MOUNTAINS BETWEEN 6300 AND 10000 FT- WET MOUNTAINS ABOVE 10000 FT- TELLER COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE ABOVE 7500 FT/PIKES PEAK BETWEEN 7500 AND 11000 FT-PIKES PEAK ABOVE 11000 FT- CANON CITY VICINITY/EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY- NORTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/MONUMENT RIDGE/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7500 FT- COLORADO SPRINGS VICINITY/SOUTHERN EL PASO COUNTY/RAMPART RANGE BELOW 7400 FT-PUEBLO AND VICINITY/PUEBLO COUNTY BELOW 6300 FT- WALSENBURG VICINITY/UPPER HUERFANO RIVER BASIN BELOW 7500 FT- TRINIDAD VICINITY/WESTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY BELOW 7500 FT- CROWLEY COUNTY-LA JUNTA VICINITY/OTERO COUNTY- EASTERN LAS ANIMAS COUNTY-WESTERN KIOWA COUNTY- EASTERN KIOWA COUNTY-LAS ANIMAS VICINITY/BENT COUNTY- LAMAR VICINITY/PROWERS COUNTY-SPRINGFIELD VICINITY/BACA COUNTY- 635 AM MDT FRI AUG 1 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...EAST CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST COLORADO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THE COMBINATION OF HUMIDITIES BELOW 15 PERCENT...GUSTY WINDS OF 25 TO 30 MPH...HAINES INDICES OF 5 OR 6 AND DRY FUELS...WILL CREATE CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER AND NEAR THE MOUNTAINS THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. THE MAIN THREATS FROM THE STORMS WILL BE GUSTY WINDS UP TO 45 MPH AND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE COMBINATION OF VERY WARM TEMPERATURES...RELATIVE HUMIDITIES BELOW 15 PERCENT...GUSTY WINDS TO 30 MPH AND DRY FUELS MAY LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS THE FAR EASTERN PLAINS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. ISOLATED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE...MAINLY OVER AND NEAR THE MOUNTAINS...SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. AVAILABLE MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO SLOWLY INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THE MOISTURE...ALONG WITH DEVELOPING UPSLOPE CONDITIONS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST PLAINS BEHIND A COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS EASTERN COLORADO ON MONDAY...WILL LEAD TO INCREASING CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. THE MAIN THREATS FROM THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH...WITH INCREASING CHANCES OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK...AS AVAILABLE MOISTURE INCREASES ACROSS THE AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT. 28/23
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, August 2008
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 123921.