September 12, 2024
[The Kit Carson County Courthouse, Burlington, CO.]
Colorado Flood Threat
[The following is a press release from the Colorado Water Conservation Board]
— Flooding is NOT expected today
As a strong area of low pressure moves over Montana today, a cold front is expected to crawl across northwestern Colorado through this evening before settling over central Colorado late tonight. Precipitation associated with the low pressure and cold front is expected to stay north of Colorado resulting in a dry forecast. Concerns for today’s weather include strong gusty winds setting up this afternoon coinciding with peak heating and very low humidity. As a result, widespread Red Flag Warnings have been issued for eastern and northwestern parts of Colorado. The other concern is that mid-level winds out of the west to southwest are likely to bring hazy to smoky conditions later this afternoon through tonight due to ongoing wildfires in California. Salt Lake City recorded multiple hours of smoke and haze yesterday with visibility as low as 3 miles. Degraded air quality (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups) is noted over northeastern Utah this morning and is likely to infiltrate northwestern Colorado and stick around in the valleys through early tomorrow thanks to lighter overnight winds. Some smoke may also settle over other lower elevations of northeastern and southwestern Colorado tonight.
Zone-Specific Forecasts:
Northwest Slope, Northern Mountains, Front Range, Grand Valley & Central Mountains:
Dry and warmer than average this afternoon with some cooling tonight over northern zones thanks to an incoming cold front. From Noon to 8PM, Red Flag Warnings are in effect for most areas with elevations below 9000 feet. Sustained winds are likely to range from 15-25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph likely. An Air Quality Alert may be issued later tonight due to hazy and smoky conditions. Stay tuned to your local NWS office for the latest fire weather and air quality alert information.
Southwest Slope, San Juan Mountains, San Luis Valley & Southeast Mountains:
Dry and warmer than average. Breezy this afternoon with sustained winds of 15-25 mph and gusts up to 40 mph possible. Hazy conditions are likely this afternoon through tomorrow morning. Some smoke may settle into the mountain valleys overnight.
Urban Corridor, Northeast Plains, Southeast Plains, Palmer Ridge & Raton Ridge:
Dry and warmer than average. From Noon to 8PM, Red Flag Warnings are in effect for most areas along and east of I-25. Sustained winds are likely to range from 15-25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph likely. Portions of the Northeast Plains may see sustained winds up to 30 mph and gusts up to 45 mph. Stay tuned to your local NWS office for the latest fire weather alert information. Hazy conditions are likely by this evening and through tomorrow morning. Some smoke may settle into parts of northeastern Colorado overnight.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Ranchers seek involvement from federal government regarding wolves
Ranchers who lost livestock to wolves no longer have confidence in Colorado Parks and Wildlife and are now asking the federal government to intervene and are also asking that the Governor of the State of Colorado, Jared Polis, and his partner, Marlon Reis, be removed from any involvement regarding wolves in Colorado.
On August 28, 2024, Don Gittleson of Jackson County and Conway Farrell of Grand County wrote to regional officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, asking them to take control over decision-making regarding program to reintroduce wolves in Colorado.
While Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages Colorado's wolves, under the wolf restoration plan and the 10(j) rule issued by U.S. Fish & Wildlife, the federal agency still maintains primary oversight.
The federal Service is providing program oversight and coordination of management decisions with Colorado while allowing Colorado to implement those decisions on the ground as outlined in the Memorandum of Agreement.
Under that 2023 agreement between Colorado and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service that implemented the 10(j) rule, the federal agency is responsible for implementing the Endangered Species Act "and has primary oversight over the conservation and management of federally listed species." Colorado's wolves are covered by the ESA but are listed as a nonessential experimental population, allowing the state to reintroduce the species in Colorado.
The agreement also states the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is responsible for ensuring the state's management of wolves is conducted in compliance with the Colorado 10(j) rule, and to coordinate and collaborate with CPW on gray wolf monitoring and management, non-lethal and lethal conflict mitigation, and overall management on lands in Colorado, except for tribal lands on the Southern Ute and Ute Mountain reservations.
The letter from Gittleson and Farrell points out that the decisions on wolves are not being made by CPW; they claim it is the governor and the First Gentleman, Marlon Reis.
"We believe that due to the Governor’s and his spouse’s relationship with wolf advocacy groups and their own feelings, he is not allowing Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) leaders to make adequate and reasonable decisions in regard to the management of wolves," the letter states. "We have actually been told by members of CPW that the Governor is making the decisions."
Wolf depredations in Jackson County, most of it on Gittleson's ranch, have numbered close to two dozen, including killings of calves, cattle and working dogs. In Grand County, at least sixteen sheep and cattle have been killed by wolves since April 2, 2024, most of them belonging to Farrell.
The wolves killing Gittleson's livestock aren't from the ten released in Colorado last December. Those wolves migrated to Colorado from Wyoming. At least six were confirmed in the area over the last several years, but only two are still in the area, according to Gittleson and others in Jackson County.
The letter to Scott Becker, the regional wolf coordinator and Matt Hogan, the regional director for U.S. Fish and Wildlife, claims CPW is falling short on following the wolf restoration and management plan.
The letter stated that the agency has been anything but transparent with the ranching community, the press, and the public. That includes a lack of transparency between CPW leadership and the CPW regional staff. Ranchers have told CPW their staff are no longer welcome on their properties. CPW relies on relationships with ranchers for wildlife habitat and conservation projects.
The wolf plan also said no wolf with a known history of chronic depredation would be relocated to Colorado. CPW has so far refused to define this term, as wolf advocates fear it could lead to the lethal management of problem wolves.
The letter states all the wolves brought to Colorado from Oregon were "either directly from packs" with a history of depredation of livestock or in areas where livestock depredation occurred. Oregon's Fish and Wildlife Service reported livestock depredations in 2023 from wolves in Wallowa County. The two adult wolves captured by CPW last week, believed responsible for at least two dozen livestock depredations in Grand County, were also from packs in Wallowa County. Oregon wolf investigations showed there were nine wolf packs in that county, and reported at least a dozen livestock depredations, with the most recent less than two months before the Wallowa wolves came to Colorado.
"It is very evident that Governor Polis is at the helm of all decisions regarding wolf management," the letter said, and pointed to the recent comments by Reis on Facebook. "Management decisions are being based on emotions and their personal involvement with many wolf advocacy groups rather than rules, common sense, and to protect the agricultural community as well as wolves."
CPW's management is ruining relationships with many in the ag community, and it isn't doing the wolves any good either, the letter concluded.
On Monday, CPW announced it had captured the Copper Creek pack, an adult female and male, and four pups. The adult male died later from injuries unrelated to the capture. CPW Director Jeff Davis said that if the male had survived, he would have been kept in captivity for the rest of his life. The pups will not be released until they are fully grown.
Last Tuesday, another dead calf was found in Grand County, believed to be the result of a wolf attack and a week after the removal of the Copper Creek pack from the area.
Comics
Dry Bar Comedy
You Will Immediately Regret Working Out, Cleto Rodriguez
Finding Colorado
The Colorado State Flower is the Rocky Mountain Columbine.
Gunnison County, CO.
Crested Butte, CO., Crested Butte Film Festival
The Crested Butte Film Festival takes place September 18, 2024, through September 22, 2024, at The Majestic Theatre, 507 Red Lady Avenue, and The Center for the Arts, 606 6th Street, Crested Butte, CO.
Tickets: $15.00
Passes: $275.00
For more information:
Larimer County, CO.
Larimer County Sheriff, Alexander Mountain Fire Arrest
[The following is a press release from the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office]
After conducting a thorough search and collecting evidence in the area of the initial smoke reports, LCSO and United States Forest Service investigators determined that the fire originated from a campfire ring and was human caused. Through further investigation, they identified Jason Alexander Hobby (DOB 06/16/75) of Loveland as a suspect.
Hobby worked as an employee at Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch. Investigators found evidence that before and during the Alexander Mountain Fire, the suspect represented himself as a law enforcement official and certified firefighter, despite having no formal law or fire credentials.
Evidence indicates that on multiple occasions prior to the fire, Hobby stopped travelers on ranch property while driving a Chevrolet SUV designed to look like a law enforcement vehicle. The suspect reportedly represented himself as law enforcement, falsely told individuals they were trespassing, and pointed a firearm at them.
Hobby also owns and operates a modified Ford truck outfitted with equipment often seen on wildland fire apparatus. He operated under the business name “Twin Buttes Fire Protection” out of Wyoming, despite there being no record of a registered fire organization by this name. During the Alexander Mountain Fire, Hobby bypassed road closures to access restricted areas and represented himself as a wildland firefighter defending ranch property.
On September 6, 2024, LCSO investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Hobby. He was taken into custody on September 10 and booked into the Larimer County Jail on the following charges:
First Degree Arson (F3)
Impersonation of a Police Officer (F5) - 2 counts
Menacing (F5)
False Imprisonment (F5)
Impersonating a Public Official (M2)
A booking photo is attached. Hobby was issued a $250,000 cash/property/surety bond by the Larimer County Court. [Update: At a bond hearing on September 11, the Court increased his bond to $450,000 cash/surety.]
Based on the evidence collected, investigators are concerned that Hobby may have falsely represented himself as a law enforcement or fire official in other circumstances. Anyone with information about this suspect’s involvement in the Alexander Mountain Fire, or who believes they may be a victim in an impersonation situation, is encouraged to contact LCSO Investigator Justin Atwood at (970) 498-5143.
People who want to remain anonymous may also contact Crime Stoppers of Larimer County at (970) 221-6868 or www.stopcriminals.org.
“The Alexander Mountain Fire destroyed homes, endangered lives, and scarred our community - literally and figuratively. I’m extremely grateful for our LCSO investigations team and US Forest Service partners who worked nonstop to find answers in this case,” said Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen. “I also want to thank the Sylvan Dale Ranch staff. Despite the fire danger at their doorstep, they were extremely supportive during the fire response and cooperated with our investigation in its aftermath.”
The Alexander Mountain Fire was 9,668 acres, and more than 530 local, state, and federal personnel were assigned to this incident. Immediate responses from area partners such as the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority, the Glen Haven Volunteer Fire Department, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, and the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control prevented loss of life and limited property damage during the initial moments of the fire. Four homes sustained damage, and 29 homes and 21 outbuildings were destroyed. The private and public property damage is estimated at more than $30 million. The burn scar and surrounding area now faces increased risk of flash flooding and debris impacts.
“Partnerships within Larimer County were key during the fire and will continue to be throughout recovery,” Acting Arapaho Roosevelt Pawnee Forest Supervisor Jason Sieg said. “We greatly appreciate the close collaboration between the Forest Service and Sheriff’s Office during this investigation.”
The local and federal investigations are ongoing, and no further information will be released at this time. All charges are merely an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
Resources
Colorado Rattlesnake Camera
Until next time,