A look back at the Black Forest and Royal Gorge Fires
A smoke plume is seen from the Royal Gorge Bridge Visitor Center at the Royal Gorge Bridge Park near Cañon City Colorado in June of 2013.Mason Irish
Air Force Academy firefighters battle a hotspot in the Black Forest fire June 12, 2013. A total of 16 personnel and five vehicles from the Academy have deployed to fight the fire, which has consumed more than 15,000 acres as of June 13. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Christopher DeWitt)Courtesy Photo/U.S. Department of Defense
An image of the smoke seen from the Black Forest Fire from the United States Air Force Academy in June of 2013.Tobi Moser
A Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System or "MAFFS"-equipped C-130 lays down a line of fire retardant June 12 in northern El Paso County, Colo. The fire retardant is used to help contain wild land fires, assisting ground crews as they work to stop the fire's growth. Manned by airmen of the 302nd Airlift Wing, both the aircraft and members were activated to support wild land firefighting efforts through a request from the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. (Courtesy photo/Travis Leland)Courtesy Photo/U.S. Department of Defense
An Air Force Academy firefighter cuts down a tree in an attempt to control the spread of the Black Forest fire June 12, 2013. A total of 16 Academy personnel and five vehicles are assisting with fire efforts alongside firefighters from Peterson and Schriever Air Force bases, Fort Carson's 4th Infantry Division and the Colorado National Guard. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Christopher DeWitt)Courtesy Photo/U.S. Department of Defense
The Colorado National Guard is supporting the Black Forest fire, June 12, 2013, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Black Hawk helicopters from the Army Aviation Support Facility on Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colo., perform water drops using Bambi Buckets. The buckets can carry up to 500 gallons of water and make more than 20 drops before refueling. (Photo by Air Force Capt. Darin Overstreet/RELEASED)Capt. Darin Overstreet/U.S. Department of Defense
Smoke from the Black Forest fire in El Paso County, CO., June 13, 2013. (Army National Guard photo by 2nd Lt. Skye A. Robinson/RELEASED)1st Lt. Skye Robinson/U.S. Department of Defense
A U.S. flag hangs in front of a burning structure in Black Forest, Colo., June 12, 2013. The structure was among 360 homes that were destroyed in the first two days of the fire, which had spread to 15,000 acres by June 13. The Black Forest fire started June 11, 2013, northeast of Colorado Springs, Colo., burning scores of homes and forcing large-scale evacuations. The Colorado National Guard and U.S. Air Force Reserve assisted in firefighting efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Christopher DeWitt/Released)Courtesy Photo/U.S. Department of Defense
The Colorado National Guard is supporting the Black Forest fire, June 12, 2013, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Black Hawk helicopters from the Army Aviation Support Facility on Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colo., perform water drops using Bambi Buckets. The buckets can carry up to 500 gallons of water and make more than 20 drops before refueling. (Photo by Air Force Capt. Darin Overstreet/RELEASED)Capt. Darin Overstreet/U.S. Department of Defense
The Colorado National Guard is supporting the Black Forest fire, June 12, 2013, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Black Hawk helicopters from the Army Aviation Support Facility on Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colo., perform water drops using Bambi Buckets. The buckets can carry up to 500 gallons of water and make more than 20 drops before refueling. (Photo by Air Force Capt. Darin Overstreet/RELEASED)Capt. Darin Overstreet/U.S. Department of Defense
The Colorado National Guard is supporting the Black Forest fire, June 12, 2013, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Black Hawk helicopters from the Army Aviation Support Facility on Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colo., perform water drops using Bambi Buckets. The buckets can carry up to 500 gallons of water and make more than 20 drops before refueling. (Photo by Air Force Capt. Darin Overstreet/RELEASED)Capt. Darin Overstreet/U.S. Department of Defense
A CH-47 Chinook from Fort Carson, Colo., supports the Black Forest fire June 12, 2013, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Helicopters from the Colorado National Guard and the U.S. Army, perform water drops using Bambi Buckets. The buckets, for the Chinooks, can carry up to 2,000 gallons of water at a time. (Photo by Air Force Capt. Darin Overstreet/RELEASED)Capt. Darin Overstreet/U.S. Department of Defense
A Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System or "MAFFS"-equipped C-130 departs the Black Forest fire June 12 after dropping a line of fire retardant in northern El Paso County, Colo. An Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter can be seen scooping up water in an effort to aide firefighting efforts. Manned by airmen of the 302nd Airlift Wing, both the C-130 aircraft and members were activated to support wild land firefighting efforts through a request from the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. (Courtesy photo/Travis Leland)Courtesy Photo/U.S. Department of Defense
An aerial view of the incident command center June 12, 2013, supporting the Black Forest wildfire response efforts. (Photo by Air Force Capt. Darin Overstreet/RELEASED)Capt. Darin Overstreet/U.S. Department of Defense
The Colorado National Guard is supporting the Black Forest fire, June 12, 2013, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Black Hawk helicopters from the Army Aviation Support Facility on Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colo., perform water drops using Bambi Buckets. The buckets can carry up to 500 gallons of water and make more than 20 drops before refueling. (Photo by Air Force Capt. Darin Overstreet/RELEASED)Capt. Darin Overstreet/U.S. Department of Defense
An Image of the smoke plume seen from the Royal Gorge Fire near Cañon City in June of 2013.Christina Horst