| Rifle, CO; September 29, 2003--On July 6, 1994, 14 | | | | Upon turning on the TV however, the scope of the |
| firefighters, including Smoke Jumpers from Idaho, | | | | tragedy began to unfold as continuous news updates |
| Oregon, Montana, Colorado and other western states | | | | blanketed the airwaves reporting the passing of so |
| died when fierce winds fanned towering flames up | | | | many heroes. |
| Storm King Mountain (just west of Glenwood Springs, | | | | As Van Devender sat in his new workplace, in the |
| CO). They had been spending the better part of the | | | | shadow of Storm King, the melody began to flow. He |
| day clearing brush and digging trenches to slow the | | | | remembered the images he had witnessed, flames |
| spreading fires, when high winds forced them to run | | | | cresting over mountain ridges, glowing smoke |
| for cover. With nowhere to run, outpacing the fast | | | | hovering in the mid-day sunlight, emergency personnel |
| moving flames was impossible on the steep slopes. | | | | working to restore order and, most of all, the brave |
| Forced to take cover inside their protective shelters | | | | souls who came from other parts of the country and |
| as the flames whipped over them, 14 never made it | | | | sacrificed their lives while trying to save material |
| through the firestorm. | | | | possessions and the beautiful environment |
| In September 1998, Colorado musician and JavaMusiK | | | | surrounding a resort community. "The powerful story |
| recording artist Jeff Van Devender sat at the piano in | | | | just took over & before I knew it, everything was in |
| the music room of the school he just started | | | | place," he remembers. |
| teaching at. The window of his new room happened | | | | Storm King Sacrifice turned out to be a descriptive |
| to have a perfect view of Storm King Mountain. Van | | | | piece from beginning to end. The listener can visualize |
| Devender had witnessed the terrible tragedy in '94, | | | | the mountain sitting in all it's splendor, before being |
| not knowing until he got home that evening how | | | | attacked by the flames. Suddenly, a stark |
| awful it really was. | | | | progression of 14 chords climbs toward it's final |
| "The smoke created a mushroom type cloud which | | | | ascent leading to an unmistakable, overwhelming |
| glowed as it hung over the mountain," he | | | | silence. In the end, despite the best efforts of those |
| remembered. "As we headed home (Gypsum at the | | | | who sacrificed so much, the mountain burned, then |
| time), the walls of Glenwood Canyon revealed a | | | | revealed it's own new life, reflecting nature's |
| reddish-orange color which was eerily quite beautiful." | | | | inevitable cycle. |