Wildfires threatened the West Portal of the Moffat Tunnel in June 1924, endangering workers and supplies, yet construction made steady progress.
Moffat Tunnel Construction Happenings from 100 Years Ago
June 1924 found steady progress at the Moffat Tunnel. However, in mid-June, a “huge” forest fire raged in the vicinity of the West Portal of the Moffat Tunnel. The smoke was visible from Nederland and Boulder, and the flames were visible from the town of Corona atop Rollins Pass. The fire scorched 2,500 acres southeast of the Idlewild station and south of the West Portal of the Moffat Tunnel. The fire was fanned by high winds from the northwest.
Three hundred men fought tirelessly to contain the fire, with their primary concern being the protection of lives. Additionally, they focused on defending the powder magazine from the advancing wildfire. The fire “came within a few feet of the tons of explosives” wrote the Aspen Daily Times on June 19, 1924.
The same article mentions, “The flames were first noticed within a few feet of a deserted forest camp and [William] Fowler [superintendent of the West Portal camp] said he believed the fire started from this source.” The Montrose Daily Press, mentioned on the same date, “The fire broke [out] yesterday afternoon. The fire is believed to have been started from a fire left by tourists at a nearby tourist camp. About six miles of timber have been burned, all lying along the line of the tunnel.”
A few days later, the Boulder Daily Camera said that “twenty-five hundred acres of land were burned in the forest fire which was started by a careless camper at Berthoud Pass…. Approximately $30,000 damage was done by the flames, which devastated the entire water shed of Jim [C]reek up to James [P]eak.”
Incredibly, just a week later, another wildfire broke out in a heavily wooded area near the West Portal of the Moffat Tunnel. This one, too, was fanned by high winds. This fire was a half-mile southeast of the fire from a week earlier.
The photos attached to this post were both taken June 18, 1924 at the West Portal area.
Finally, in terms of progress, “The main headings have been advanced an aggregate of 11,357 feet, 3,101 in the East Portal of the railroad tunnel, 1,370 on the West Portal of the railroad tunnel and 3,376 and 3,195 feet on the corresponding water tunnel portals.”
B. Travis Wright, MPS | Preserve Rollins Pass | June 30, 2024
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