Fire update

Actually, not much more to tell. Cooler temps, higher humidity, and calmer winds have kept the fire from continuing on its explosive course. Voluntary evacuations from the northern front have been eased, though a sudden shift in the weather could quickly make things pretty dicey once again.

The news links below are still working. There are some new satellite maps, but nothing Incredibly Dramatic to report.

Meanwhile, the Governor and Mayor, after having chatted up how Grave the Situation Is, now find themselves chatting down the danger and trying to reassure businesses and tourists (in an already down economy) that, no, Denver isn’t about to burn to the ground …

The Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau has fielded more than 200 inquiries from worried travelers who planned trips to Denver this summer, said spokesman Rich Grant. They ask questions such as, “How close are the fires to my hotel?”
The inquiries, say Grant and others, are prompted in part by misleading news reports. They cite headlines such as USA Today’s on Tuesday: “Thousands flee as fire advances on Denver.”