A case study of the infamous Waldo Canyone Fire of 2012 and what lessons were learned. This presentation was given at the Natural Hazard Mitigation Association's annual Symposium held every July in Broomfield, Colorado.

1. 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire
EL PASO COUNTY, COLORADO

2. Introduction
Vancel Fossinger, PE | Wilson &
Company
• Wildfire and Resulting Hazards
• Community Outreach / Community Support
Tim Mitros, PE | City of Colorado
Springs
• Challenges
• Solutions

3. June 23, 2012
• 100 Degrees
• Fire is spotted and
grows rapidly

4. June 26, 2012
• 101 Degrees
• Pyrocumulus Cloud
Builds

5. June 26, 2012
• 3:45 pm: Fire jumps
containment line
• 4:21 pm: 26,000 people
evacuated
• Pyrocumulus cloud
collapses
• 65 mph winds

6. June 26, 2012
• Two deaths
• 346 homes destroyed

7. Burn Area
18,247 acres burned
Pike’s Peak

8. Camp Creek
Camp Creek is the
largest watershed on the
Waldo Canyon Burn Scar
• 10 square mile watershed
• 70 % burned

9. Landmarks along Camp Creek
Glen Eyrie Garden of the Gods Park
Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site 31st
St. in Pleasant Valley Neighborhood

10. Hazards After the Fire
• Erosion
• Sedimentation
• Abrasion From Sediment
• Increased Threat of Flooding

11. Ridge Between Camp Creek and Douglas
Creek Watersheds

12. Queen’s Canyon/Camp Creek

13. Queen’s Canyon/Camp Creek

14. Erosion

15. Sedimentation
Sedimentation

16. Sedimentation
Approximately 15,000
cubic yard deposited in
2013 and to date in 2015

17. Abrasion from Sedimentation

18. Increased Risk of Flooding
• 100-year Pre-Fire Peak Rate = 1,800 cfs
• 100-year Post Fire Peak Rate = 2,900 cfs

19. Community Information
Flood Hazard Awareness Meetings
“City hosts
meeting on
Camp Creek
flash-flood issues
at Glen Eyrie”

20. Building Support
Robust Community
Involvement Integrated in the
development of a Master Plan
for Improvements

21. Decision Process
• Approximately 45 interviews were conducted
• 150+ people in attendance
• Community concerns, values, and goals were identified
• Five design concepts for improvements were presented
• Approximately 60 people in attendance
• Community likes and dislikes about the concepts were
identified
• Three alternative concepts for improvements were presented
• Approximately 125 people in attendance
• Community support for each of the alternatives identified

22. Camp Creek – Challenges and Solutions

23. Challenges
• Knowing what to do after the fire
• Seek experts
• Be creative
• Finding funding
• FEMA, NRCS, CDBG, General , Private, Grants
• Work collaboratively with elected officials
• Keeping the public informed and prepared
• Community meetings
• Keeping the media involved

24. Challenges
• Psychological impacts
• Listen
• Provide support and empathy
• Funding requirements
• Acknowledging each source has different rules
• Understanding the rules
• Maintenance
• Generally you are on your own
• Be prepared
• Think differently
• Sustainability
• Resilience is the new goal

25. Challenges – Sediment & Debris
Mitigation efforts
• Channel widening
• Debris nets
• Debris basins
• Log erosion barriers
• Seeding
• Mulching

26. Glen Eyrie Channel Widening
• Original Channel- 450 cfs

27. Glen Eyrie Channel Widening
• New Channel- 2,000 cfs

28. The Navigators at Glen Eyrie
• September 5, 2013

29. Larger Channel Installed by Navigators

30. Larger Channel Installed by Navigators

31. Pre-Project Bridge at Glen Eyrie with Insufficient
Capacity

32. Larger Bridge Installed by Navigators

33. Queen’s Canyon Debris Nets
Design
Nets
Construction

34. Two Debris Nets Installed

35. Upper Net

36. Maintenance Consideration
• Camp Creek in Glen
Eyrie before and after
July 1, 2013 storm
• City removes debris for
10 years
Lower Net

37. Log Erosion Barriers

38. Log Erosion Barriers

39. Vegetation

40. Vegetation

41. Camp Creek at Garden of the Gods
• July 16, 2014- New debris
basin in Camp Creek

42. Camp Creek at Garden of the Gods
Temporary Sediment Basin

43. Douglas Sediment Basin
•Predicted to fill in 10
years- it took 0 minutes
• Predicted to fill in 10 years,
instead it took 10 minutes
• July 13, 2014
• May 3, 2015
• July 16, 2014
• May 14, 2015

44. Sediment Removed from Basin - $200,000
• July 15, 2015

45. Sustainable & Resilient Channel

46. Rock Veins & Steep Pools

47. Vancel Fossinger, PE | Wilson & Company
Tim Mitros, PE | City of Colorado Springs
Camp Creek Fire – Flood Mitigation

48. Questions and Answers
The Fire-Flood Connection