Ava Herrera
Football practice
Palisade High School is currently at the heart of three fires that are burning thousands of acres and destroying wildlife. The Lee Fire, west of Meeker and the fifth-largest wildfire in Colorado history, has burned 137,755 acres as of August 20, with 68% containment. The Lee Fire started on August 2nd due to a lightning storm, the same as the Elk Fire, southeast of Meeker. The Elk Fire burned 14,518 and is now 100% contained. As of Monday, the Meeker School District has begun classes and Highway 13 is officially now open between Rifle and Meeker. On the other side of the valley, east of Gateway near the Utah border, the Turner Gulch Fire was also started by lightning, but on July 12. The Turner Gulch fire has burned around 31,698 acres and is 79% contained.
The Paw Post has spoken to our student athletes to discuss the effects the smoke has on them during practice and the school day. Tristan Brinton, a Bulldog on the palisade football team states “It definitely affected our feeling I say overall. We didn’t notice it at first. I feel like it kind of makes us sick.” He later mentioned, after being asked if the fire affected him during school time, “I would say it’s a little harder just because some of us have breathing problems and then with us being sick too, it definitely does.” Joel Talavera, a Palisade High school soccer player, adds on “ I guess the smoke bugs me in my eyes and lungs.” also agreeing that the smoke had made it harder for him to run during practice. Shows that the fires have spread and started to affect people miles away. Palisade students have experienced hands-on the changes in the air quality and the changes in health.