On July 1, 2013 a fire erupted on Mt. Charleston and quickly spread to areas near homes and businesses. The fire also consumed land inhabited by protected species. The Carpenter 1 fire, as it was called, raged for weeks and wasn't fully contained until the middle of August.
But residents who survived the fire soon faced other challenges. Floods ripped through the Rainbow Subdivision. Residents successfully petitioned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for $1 million to prevent future floods, but then lost the money when local governments refused to take responsibility for the project.
And the fate of endangered animals on the mountain may be equally precarious. Environmentalists worry about how the fire, and efforts at rehabilitation, may permanently change the landscape.
Will Mt. Charleston ever fully recover? And what will happen if another big fire breaks out on the mountain?
GUESTS
Becky Grismanauskas, resident, Mt. Charleston
Bruce Boyd, butterfly expert
Randy Swick, U.S. Forest Service, manager, Spring Mountain National Recreation Area
Jim Hurja, soil scientist, U.S. Forest Service
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