LAST weeks Black Forest fire northeast of Colorado Springs killed two people, destroyed more than 500 homes and charred more than 14,000 acres making it the most destructive wildfire in Colorados history but it left the JCC Ranch Camp untouched.
Not that there werent a few hyper-tense moments.
The Ranch Camp in Elbert County, just south of the small town of Elbert and in the northeastern quarter of the Black Forest itself, was ordered to evacuate on Wednesday, June 12, when it became clear that the wildfire, fueled by high winds and searing temperatures, was rapidly growing.
By then, with the fire still miles away but growing steadily and in unpredictable directions, the Ranch Camp was already being enveloped in heavy smoke, JCC assistant director Caron Blanke told the Intermountain Jewish News this week.
The evacuation was definitely because of the smoke, Blanke said, but the winds were really terrible, and they were being very cautious.
There were some 115-120 campers, ranging in age from 7 to 13 years old, attending the Ranch Camps first summer session when the evacuation order was issued.
The evacuation, Blanke said, was done quickly and efficiently, and without a sense of panic.
When we were being evacuated, we were making decisions as quickly as possible. We were really in the moment.
Campers and staff were ferried from the camp to the Robert E. Loup JCC main campus in Denver via buses belonging to Elbert County public schools, which had also been tasked in evacuating their own students in area schools.
Were really lucky to be part of the Elbert community, Blanke said.
We had a partnership with Elbert County schools and used their school buses. They mobilized immediately and got them out safely and swiftly.
WITH more than 100 youthful campers at the Denver JCC, Blanke said, improvisation became the order of the day. Most of the children spent Wednesday night at the JCC, sleeping all over the building, but a few who were from out of town began their journey home.
The JCC encouraged all the campers parents to let their children spend at least that night at the JCC, for a sort of indoor camping experience.
And most of the parents were willing to go along with that, Blanke said.
The next day, most of them spent at least a portion of the day here, where campers participated in regular programming and had lunch and dinner.
On Thursday, as the fire spread even more rapidly, authorities wouldnt allow anyone to return to evacuation zones to retrieve anything that might have been behind. In the case of many of the hastily-evacuated campers, that meant most of what they might have had.
The JCC put out a call for cash or gift card donations to enable staff to purchase clothing, food and personal items for the campers, since many of them were only able to leave the camp with backpacks and sleeping bags.
People were very generous in donating, Blanke said. We are so appreciative.
On Thursday, when it was plain that that campers couldnt return soon, we decided that we really needed a plan, Blanke said.
About 20 out-of-town campers spent the night at volunteers homes in the Denver area, Blanke said, and way more than 20 people were offering to reach out and help us.
The local kids went home for the night, and on Friday, camp directors improvised again, turning the Ranch Camp into a sort of day camp, setting up at Denver Jewish Day School, where the campers participated in Shabbat activities.
Word was received late on Friday, June 15, that the evacuation order for the Ranch Camp area had been rescinded. JCC staff spent last weekend getting the camp ready for the campers to return.
The camp reopened this week, on Monday morning.
It was an adventure for everybody, Blanke said, with a sigh of relief very evident in her voice.
AFTER devastating a large portion of the Black Forest last week perhaps as much as 24 square miles, according to some reports the wildfire finally backed off in the face of rain and rising humidity levels last weekend.
Early this week, fire authorities estimated that the fire was 75% contained or better.
The fire never made it closer than five miles to the Ranch Camp. There was no damage to structures or trees at the approximately 400-acre camp, Blanke said.
Although fire mitigation efforts such as clearing trees and brush from the close proximity of buildings may not have been an effective deterrent to a fire as hot and fast as last weeks blaze, Blanke emphasized that the Ranch Camp has worked hard on such mitigation.
It is an ongoing project at the camp and camp co-directors Miriam and Gilad Schwartz have been doing a great job keeping that up, Blanke said.
This spring, Miriam Schwartz attended a special training program for five evacuation procedures, which were then adapted to conditions at the Ranch Camp.
Last weeks near miss, and the ongoing threat of wildfires in drought-stricken Colorado, has not caused the JCC to consider closing the Ranch Camp, which it has operated for decades, she added.
We love our property, Blanke said.
Weve been there for 60 years and we have no plans for moving. I think we recognize that this is just what happens when you live in Colorado and other places with this kind of climate.
It just comes with the territory.
All of which, she added, only highlights the gratitude that the JCC Ranch Camp community feels now that the danger has passed.
We were so fortunate, especially considering the devastation experienced by other people in the area, Blanke said.
We feel extremely fortunate that the Ranch Camp was unharmed, that all of our children and staff came out of it safe, and that we were back in a relatively short period of time, ready to have probably the best summer yet.
Copyright © by the Intermountain Jewish News
