When a fire threatens homes and livelihoods in Teller County, the character and personality of a place rises to the top. And so it was the evening of Oct. 28 at the evacuation center at the Woodland Park Community Church.

The fire started in the Highland Lakes area of Divide and by 4:20 p.m., residents of several subdivisions were ordered to evacuate. The church is a designated American Red Cross shelter.

“We don’t get many people in these shelters,” said Paul Thies, a volunteer with the Red Cross. “People in Teller County open their doors to their neighbors.”

Anita and Eric Riggle, who live in Spring Valley neighborhood, were packed and ready to go if their pre-evacuation orders changed to get-out-now orders.

“We had five offers from friends to come over, which is so sweet,” Anita Riggle said, adding that they also had two other offers from family.

Thies was playing a double role, being both an evacuee and volunteer.

“When I got the notice from Peak Alerts to evacuate, I threw my dogs in the car and left,” he said. “I could see smoke from (County Road) 51.”

It happened that his wife, Joanne Thies, was in Colorado Springs at the time. The two met up in a parking lot where she took the dogs and drove to a friend’s house to stay overnight. He, on the other hand, responded to a call from the county’s emergency operations center, directing him to go to the church.

One of 12 Red Cross shelters in Teller County, the shelter location for an incident is determined by Sheriff Jason Mikesell and the organization officials.

“We know the capabilities of the buildings,” Thies said.

At the church, Thies found supplies in the Red Cross van stationed behind the church.

“I rounded up a couple of guys (on staff) to help me set up cots and tables,” Thies said.

In disasters, the county’s Department of Human Service responds as well.

“The DHS director (Kim Mauthe) was already there with two of her staff,” Thies said.

Ryan Brown and Darlyn Baker, part of the Community Paramedics, also showed up to offer comfort. As part of their services, they were picking up medications for some of the evacuees, some ordered on the spot from a physician.

The paramedics are part of the mobile crisis unit of Ute Pass Regional Health Service District.

Thies and other volunteers stayed Monday night at the church with 10 area residents. Most of the other estimated 2,000 evacuees found shelter with friends.

Tuesday morning, Thies chatted with the evacuees and had breakfast with them; the Salvation Army provided the food.

Before breakfast Thies answered a call from Mountain View United Methodist Church, checking to see if he and his wife were OK. For a minute, Thies was overcome with emotion.

“They are calling every member of our church,” he said. “It makes me proud to be a member of this community, which opens its heart to take care of fellow citizens.”

As he was tending to evacuees, Thies felt fine about his own home in the Aspen Village neighborhood, due to the defensible space around the house.

“The shortfall of having defensible space in your home is that if your neighbors’ don’t have it, then their fire could come over to my house,” he said. “I’m not overly worried but if a high enough wind comes up and the vegetation is dry, then only God is going to stop that fire.”

Two hours after the conversation, weather forecasters were calling for 50 mph sustained winds in Teller County.

Jack Mountford, who lives in the Golden Bell neighborhood, spent Monday night in a friend’s RV in Colorado Springs.

“I decided to come back up here this morning,” he said Tuesday.

By now, Mountford was feeling cynical about fire and insurance companies. Over the years, he has refused to provide the kinds of defensible space that Thies has.

“I live in a beautiful A-frame on 4 acres with lots of trees,” he said. “I bet they’re going to jack up my rates.”

But he has faith in the fire department.

“You think they’re going to pass over my house just because of the trees?” he said. “No way.”

As of late in the day Tuesday, the Riggles were still at home, hoping the evacuation call they are dreading doesn’t come.

“I hope we don’t have to evacuate but it’s nice to know people care and reach out,” Anita Riggles said.