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Coloradans Help Each Other In Various Ways As Cameron Peak Fire Burns Closer To Populated Areas

(CBS4) - Coloradans are stepping up to help the thousands now evacuating from the wildfires.  

"We were supposed to originally get married Oct. 23," Caitlin Dudsak said.

Dudsak and her fiancé, John Fitzpatrick were supposed to be looking forward to a celebration this fall.  Instead, the pandemic took away their vows, and now the Cameron Peak Fire is threatening to take away with their home.  

"It's a great area to have animals also to have a little bit more of a quiet life," Dudsak said.

Dudsak is a freelance photograher, and has been capturing the fire engulf the surrounding community near Pinewood Reservoir over the past few months, and this time it has made its way near her home.

"Hopefully the winds keep blowing in our favor and our neighborhood gets unscathed," John Fitzpatrick said.

Currently hundreds of others along with the couple have been put on mandatory evacuation orders. Fortunately for Fitzpatrick and Dudsak they have family in Loveland they're able to stay with.

"It's a great view unfortunately it's been a very eerie view recently," Sarah Morgan said.

Sarah Morgan
(credit: CBS)

Morgan runs Sugar Mill Antique and Vintage Depot in Mead, and has been watching the fire from below.  She wanted to do something to help.

"I'm not sure people understand the extent of the fire, where it's burning and how many people and how animals are being affected," she said.

Morgan is opening up her parking lot for people with RVs or campers as they wait for orders to lift.

"We're just south of Fort Collins and Loveland for the Cameron Peak Fire and directly east of Lyons where the other fire is burning in CalWood," Morgan added.

It's already helping one person, but escaping is just one part, what may be left of mountain communities after the fire passes is another big unknown.

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