The MSM is reporting that the fire today is the worst in Colorado history. This is patently absurd, it isn’t even in the same league as some of the fires from the 1890s..
The 1890 fire is responsible for the spectacular Aspen groves along the Sangre de Cristo mountains today.
Spokane Falls Daily Chronicle June 25, 1890
This is what that the burn looks like 120 years later, just above Santa Fe.
Looks just about ready to go up again..
Not just natural processes. Some of the most spectacular stands of Aspen in the state owe their existence to human destructiveness. The largest Aspen “organisms” in Colorado – one covers several hundred acres – as well as individual trees, are found along Kebler Pass road which runs between the Elk and West Elk wildernesses about 30 miles between Crested Butte and Highway 133 just south of Paonia State Park. 150 years ago this was all pine forest, which was slashed to provide fuel for the mining railways. The miners were none too neat and left all the slash in place which provided food for the Aspens, which always move into disturbed areas. Aspens are like that – opportunistic. There are usually a hundred or so suckers in my back yard, which pop up between mowings. We’ve kept several of these volunteers over the years, a few of which now provide shade for our mailbox and back deck.
The Kebler Pass Aspen family used to be considered the largest single organism in the world (by geographical area, not biomass, I believe), but Utah is now claiming that status for one of its aspen stands.
BTW, Kebler Pass Road is starting to get discovered by Fall Color Tourists, so keep this to yourselves, OK?