COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- The City of Colorado Springs has released its preliminary incident report on the Waldo Canyon Fire, citing several strengths and weaknesses during the action process.
The fire, Colorado's most destructive ever, destroyed 345 homes and burned more than 18,000 acres in the Waldo Canyon Loop area just north of Highway 24 in El Paso County.
City officials cited public safety collaboration, personnel, training, planning and public safety response as strengths. They evacuated nearly 26,000 people safely on June 26, the day the fire moved into the Mountain Shadows neighborhood.
Recommendations for change included agency communication, documentation, logistics and public information/warning. The reverse 911 system in El Paso and Teller counties has limitations, which the city is looking into for future disasters.
The city also outlined day by day activities from the day the fire started June 23 until it was 100 percent contained July 10.
The cause of the fire is unknown, but investigators said a human either intentionally or accidentally started it along the Waldo Canyon Loop hiking trail.
You can read the full 34-page report online by clicking here.
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