Trees are tinder dry in the woods around Colorado Springs and firefighters say disaster could strike with any spark.That’s what appeared to be happening Saturday morning as residents of the Mountain Shadows neighborhood packed up and ran for safety.Rosemary Simmons and her husband received an emergency call with notification of a wildfire and directions to evacuate their home. Without hesitating, they grabbed their cat and a safety kit, and rushed out the door.Police monitored traffic in the neighborhood as firetrucks rolled by. The only things missing were flames and clouds of smoke.The drill, sponsored by the Colorado Springs Fire Department, the local Office of Emergency Management and the Colorado Springs Police Department, simulated a wildfire evacuation for the neighborhood nestled in the city’s western foothills.Fifty families agreed to leave their homes and follow the emergency phone call directions to reach nearby Fire Station 18. It’s a drill that many fear could turn into reality for those who live near the mountains — an  area of high fire risk where one quarter of the city’s population resides.Colorado Springs has received just over two inches of rainfall this year — nearly four inches below normal levels, according to the National Weather Service office in Pueblo.Weather Service spokesman James Hall said conditions in the Pikes Peak region are eerily similar to those that led to the 2002 Hayman fire, which blackened thousands of acres northwest of Colorado Springs.“We basically are as dry as we were then,” Hall said, noting that the city likely won’t see significant rain any time soon. “Below 9,000 feet, the conditions are quite dangerous. Any fire that gets started will spread extremely rapidly.”The chance of wildfire drove Michelle Williamson to participate in the drill with her Husky.“It was very helpful. Living here, it’s a very possible scenario. It’s real life,” she said.Following the drill, residents were asked to give feedback.Fire Department spokeswoman Sunny Smaldino asked residents to familiarize themselves with social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, which the department uses to provide constant updates.Simple steps such as registering their phones with the city’s emergency notification system and clearing their yards of brush and trees can help the fire department save lives, Smaldino said.“Our motto is to share the responsibility,” she said.Participant Helen Sabin agreed with the firefighters’ message.“People have to take responsibility for themselves,” Sabin said. “Fires can spread so quickly, and people need to be aware.”

Lieutenant Sean Mandel, the CSPD representative in the office of emergency management, advises police officers where to station themselves to guide traffic during the evacuation exercise Saturday at Fire Station 18. More than 70 residents participated in the drill and were able to give feedback and ask questions in a discussion afterward. Photo by GENNA ORD, THE GAZETTE

GENNA ORD

Eight-month-old husky mix Oakley, pet of Michelle Willamson, right, meets Warren Meacham as the Mountain Shadows residents rate the wildfire evacuation drill Saturday at Fire Station 18. Residents were asked to pack things that were important to them in t Photo by GENNA ORD, THE GAZETTE

GENNA ORD