More residents were allowed to return home this afternoon as firefighters made what officials called “big progress” against the Parkdale Canyon Fire.
Residents east of County Road 61 can return to their homes and the Royal Gorge, Buckskin Joe and the KOA campground are now open to visitors, the Bureau of Land Management announced.
The Arkansas River will reopen to boaters through the Gorge at daybreak on Thursday.
The Royal View Camground is still closed, as are areas south of U.S. 50 and west of County Road 61.
The fire has held nearly steady at 730 acres with containment at 65 percent, according to Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team B.
Officials today said that the estimated cost so far of the fire is $325,000.
On Monday, Dr. Dorothy Twellman saw her 4,400 square foot “dream home” and an adjacent barn that housed her 14 horses burn to the ground – the victims of the raging Parkdale Canyon Fire.
“It was great,” said Twellman on Wednesday of her Royal D Ranch. “We worked very hard – we put blood, sweat and tears into that property.”
Twellman, who is the Fremont County coroner and another Fremont County medical professional, Diane Alvies, both lived at the ranch.
They were able to save the horses and their cat, Bootsie.
But the fire spread so quickly that they were not able to save the contents of the home.
They also lost two Jeeps.
“We are devastated,” said Twellman.
Twellman placed the loss at well over $1 million.
She said she and Alvies have been overwhelmed by the community response to their loss, including offers of lodging.
But she said they are staying at a motel where they can “cry and sob” over their loss in private.
Twellman said she doubted she will rebuild on the property.
The fire destroyed almost all the trees and left the formerly beautiful landscape unrecognizable, she said.
She said that the first indication of trouble on Monday was about 2 p.m., when a farrier who was tending to the horses smelled smoke. At that point Twellman started checking and spotted fire on the backside of a mountain. She called the fire department.
Originally, firefighters told her that they thought the property was not in danger. But within a short time, Twellman and Alvies started moving the horses to safety. Within minutes of safely moving the horses, the fire was on top of the ranch. Alvies was able to grab the cat and flee.
Fire investigators have not determined what started the blaze.
They are looking at the Royal Gorge Route train.
Owner Mark Greksa said the railroad is fully cooperating with investigators from the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Land Management.
He said investigators have examined the Royal Gorge train and gone into the Royal Gorge on a Royal Gorge Route vehicle.
Greksa said that the railroad has invested millions of dollars in the Canon City area and that safety is an upmost concern of the railroad.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
