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HAPPENINGS COLORADO HAMS PROVIDE DISASTER COMMUNICATIONS THANKS TO AN
EXTREMELY DRY SEASON, PORTIONS OF COLORADO WERE RAVAGED BY WILDFIRES IN
JUNE AND JULY.  ACCORDING TO INCIWEB, MORE THAN 160,000 ACRES WERE AFFECTED
BY NINE FIRES INCIWEB IS AN INTERAGENCY ALL RISK INCIDENT WEB INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PROVIDED BY THE UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE.  SINCE JUNE
9 WHEN THE HIGH PARK FIRE, THE FIRST OF THE WILDFIRES BEGAN HAMS IN
COLORADO HAVE BEEN ASSISTING WITH DISASTER COMMUNICATIONS, PROVIDING
COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT TO THE STATE AND SERVED AGENCIES.  RANDY LONG,
K7AVV, OF MASONVILLE, TOLD THE DENVER POST IN AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED JUNE 14
THAT BEGINNING JUNE 10, HE HAS BEEN MANAGING OPERATORS STAFFING EIGHT HOUR
SHIFTS AROUND THE CLOCK.  THE HAMS HAVE BEEN DOING SUCH THINGS AS SETTING
UP PORTABLE RADIO REPEATERS AND RELAYING MESSAGES BETWEEN THE FIRE LINES
AND COMMAND POSTS.  ABOUT 40 OPERATORS HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO HELP PROVIDE
COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORT.  ALONG WITH LONG, ROBERT WAREHAM, N0ESQ, AND A
HANDFUL OF ARES VOLUNTEERS REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY IN FORT
COLLINS AS THE HIGH PARK FIRE ENCIRCLED THE BUCKHORN AND HORSETOOTH
MOUNTAINS, THE SITES FOR SOME OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS TOWERS
FOR LARIMER COUNTY.  THESE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS WE TRAIN FOR DAY IN AND
DAY OUT, WAREHAM TOLD THE DENVER POST.  WE JUST WANT TO KEEP THE PEOPLE IN
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