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Greenbriar Inn Spared From CalWood Fire Burning In Boulder County

BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - The CalWood fire has been devastating and destroying more than two dozen homes in its path. Just a short distance away, the historic Greenbriar Inn is still standing.

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(credit: CBS)

"They said you need to come down right now, and I came downstairs... the smoke was pretty intense and the flames were starting to come up on the top of the hill," Owner Phil Goddard told CBS4's Rick Sallinger.

Just how intense? The photos they took from the restaurant are frightening.

Emma Goddard saw it first.

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(credit: Goddard family)

"I came out and it was black, huge plumes of smoke."

A fire threatened the existence of what has been an elegant restaurant since 1967. Before that it was a gas station and post office dating back to 1873.

In 2013, the threat to this restaurant came from massive rain and floods and an electrical fire. Now a fire of a different sort came roaring out of the mountains as firefighters waged a battle against it.

Phil heaped praise on them.

"Oh my goodness, they saved us. They saved all Lake of the Pines. You know we have had our doors open for them since this thing began."

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(credit: Goddard family)

A table with coffee and drinks sits ready for those who need it. This has already been the biggest and most damaging blaze the county has seen.

"I get tearful. There's a number of homes, 26 homes right around up there that didn't make it," he said.

This restaurant's beauty has not faded with age. Home to holiday celebrations, weddings and more. The Greenbriar is still standing.

Phil put it this way, "Nature has its way of telling us who is really in control sometimes."

They hope to reopen soon.

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