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On the evening of July 3rd, 2018, a fire began at the Basalt gun range. It eventually spread to over 11,000 acres, down to the edges of Basalt and El Jebel. 2,100 residents were forced to evacuate their homes. At one point, over 600 firefighters and support personnel worked to contain the fire, including local and national responders.The entire Roaring Fork Community was affected. Some took in friends or neighbors. Some employees could not make it to work. Some were evacuated and went to work anyway. Daycares were closed. Animals, large and small, were taken in on farms and through non-profits. Aspen Public Radio was on the scene and on the air with emergency announcements and twice-an-hour updates during the week-long threat from the Lake Christine Fire. We stay on the scene now, collecting the stories of those whose lives changed due to the fire- how they helped, what they lost, what they gained and what they learned.You can share your story with us in many ways, and listen to the stories below.We are Many Voices, One Valley.

Brandon Deter

Brandon Deter, a Carbondale firefighter, describes fighting the fire on the night of July 4th, alternating between spraying fire and houses. He says the embers falling reminded him of a snowstorm...except it was made of fire.  

Contributor Christin Kay is passionate about the rich variety of arts, cultural experiences and stories in the Roaring Fork Valley. She has been a devotee of public radio her whole life. Christin is a veteran of Aspen Public Radio, serving as producer, reporter and interim news director.