Evacuees of the Gold Mountain Fire — who have been displaced for more than a week — hope they will return to their homes soon, are thankful for the firefighters working tirelessly to quell the flames and say they are a bit wiser about what they will take if such an event happens again.
Three Panoramic Heights residents are taking in stride their circumstances and finding silver linings, despite everything they have gone through since the fire started on June 27.
Jill Mort is glad Walden the Wonder Cat, as she calls him, is in his happy place staying in the family’s 1986 Dolphin RV.
Jerry Serman is thankful electricity is back on at his house.
Patty Blackford is happy she and her husband, Rick, were able to put out buckets of water for wildlife and seed for birds when they were allowed to visit their home for a few minutes last week.
The Panoramic Heights residents are ready to get their credentials from Ouray County, so they will be able to go home when evacuations are lifted for their area. The county announced will issue credentials from 1-7 p.m. Tuesday at Ridgway Elementary School, allowing the residents access when the closed area reopens. It’s not clear when that will happen.
“When evacuation areas are opened, residents will need a credential to access their homes and neighborhoods,” the county notice said. “ This is to keep the areas safe.”
To obtain these credentials, residents need to bring a driver’s license or photo identification, and other documentation if the property address is different than the address on the ID, the county website said. Credentialed residents will be required to show their re-entry credentials to traffic control point staff to be admitted to the area.
These credentials are only for Ouray County residents, not other neighboring counties that have evacuated areas due to the fire.
As of Monday, the fire was estimated to be 27,698 acres, and firefighters had achieved 3% containment, according to InciWeb.
‘Thankful for firefighters’
“We’re doing fine, thanks to the kindness and generosity of our friends,” Mort said.
Jill Mort and her husband, Don, already had tubs filled with keepsakes and valuables long before the Gold Mountain Fire, so all they needed to grab were clothes and medication.
She wishes she could have brought a few five-gallon kegs of her home brew with her.
“Now I have to buy beer,” she quipped.
While the Morts are staying with friends where they have parked their 40-year-old RV, and 14-year-old Walden is staying in there. Typically, when the Morts are in their house, Walden likes sleeping in the RV, so he’s oblivious to the current chaos around him.
Jill anticipates emptying the refrigerator of rotten food and a massive cleaning to get rid of the smoky smell, but said it’s worth it to be safe.
“We are doing what we’re told and thankful to the firefighters for doing their jobs and keeping us safe,” she said.
‘More prepared next time’
Serman agreed that friends have made all the difference.
“We are staying with friends,” he said. “We’re pretty blessed to have such good friends.”
The first night, Serman and his wife, Jan Peterson, stayed at one friend’s home, but they were later evacuated, too, so the couple moved to another friend’s home.
Serman and Peterson had just returned home from a trip, so clothes and other necessities were already packed when they were told to evacuate. They were able to return to their house twice during the evacuation to pick up additional necessities.
Serman said they would be more prepared next time, and the only thing he wished he had grabbed last week were the couple’s passports.
‘Ready to go’
Blackford said she was able to pack up important papers and valuables quickly when they were told to evacuate in part thanks to her daughter, who was visiting. The only thing she forgot was her checkbook.
She said she took water and candy to the firefighters driving by her house before the family was evacuated.
Blackford expressed gratitude for the firefighters, saying they saved homes.
“We are all being very patient,” Blackford said. “There have been some hot spots above our homes. The wind could kick up and hit a hot spot.
“We’re good,” she added. “We’re just ready to go home.”
