Beulah –Thousands of people forced from their homes by the 12,560-acre Mason fire returned home Wednesday amid enthusiastic welcome signs and jubilant horn blasts.
In an area so unaccustomed to traffic that passing drivers wave as a rule, cars jammed two-lane Colorado 78 heading into town.
Pueblo County Sheriff Dan Corsentino, his hair slicked back, shirt pressed and shoes polished, stood alongside the road and greeted returning residents in cars loaded down with guitars, all-terrain vehicles, pictures and whatever had been deemed most valuable four days before.
He shouted, “Welcome back,” to each vehicle before reaching out to clutch each driver’s hand for an enthusiastic shake.
“We’re really fortunate,” he said, smiling during a lull in traffic. “These firefighters did a great job.”
Crews have contained 60 percent of the fire, which was sparked by a July 6 lightning strike. They expect 100 percent containment by the end of Saturday.
So far, the Mason fire has cost $3.8 million to fight.
Considering the blaze ripped a 6-mile-long scar across the mountains in the area, residents who rushed to their homes in the forested hills west of Pueblo said they felt they had averted a major disaster.
Many left Beulah in a panic, wondering if they would see their homes again.
“Really, we stand better than we did before,” said John Clay. He was among about 15 people who camped out at Dana Andrak and Brent Cameron’s home during the evacuation.
“There was a terrible inconvenience for a lot of people,” he said. “But the fire has made us better- protected (against future fires), and no homes burned.”
That bit of good news – considering that fire officials said more than 1,000 structures were threatened by the flames – also ushered in a bit of humor.
Clay’s group said it plans to print T-shirts commemorating the Mason fire. The back of each shirt will feature a list of items residents wish they had grabbed on their way out of town.
Debbie Rose, who stayed in town throughout the fire and kept residents informed about conditions, said the fire crews did a wonderful job.
“We’re just feeling very, very blessed,” she said between phone calls from residents who would soon return home.
“Yahoo!” resident Chrisanne Galvez yelped at the home where she had taken shelter for the previous three nights. “They’re letting us back in. … It feels like this whole county breathed a sigh of relief.”
In the laid-back mountain town of Beulah, where dogs lay on front porches by Wednesday afternoon, residents were downright gleeful.
“We’re all going down and shooting off fireworks,” said Tom Meyers, his tongue firmly planted in his cheek.
Meyers unloaded dirt bikes while his next-door neighbors, Jeff and Nichol Gorman and their son, Jeffrey, unpacked two cars that were stuffed in a hurry Sunday when officials said the fire was five to 10 minutes over the hill.
They left a cat behind and, upon their return, were delighted to discover the cat had been fed by an employee from the local telephone company who stayed behind.
“When we left, it was overwhelming, not knowing if you’re going to come back to your house,” Jeff Gorman said. “All we had was two carloads of stuff.”
Alice Lubbers said she didn’t really worry about her home since her son-in-law stayed behind and could provide updates.
The best thing about being home?
“My bed,” she said. “My dogs can sleep in their bed. I am thrilled. You don’t know how good I feel. I’m watering my plants and unpacking my car, and I plan on going to bed in my own bed.”
Many of the roughly 800 fire- crew members spent Wednesday crawling through the sweaty, sweltering forest searching for coals that could spark a fresh fire. Mop-up and cold trailing, as firefighters refer to them, don’t get the publicity of air tankers dropping slurry. But crews say the grimy work makes up 80 percent of fighting a forest fire.
“It really is the most grueling part,” said information officer Justin Dombrowski.
Staff writer Erin Emery contributed to this report.
Staff writer George Merritt can be reached at 720-929-0893 or gmerritt@denverpost.com.
