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Boulder Co. Wildfire Victim Gets Pay It 4ward Help

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Jan 8, 2009 4:53 pm US/Mountain

Boulder Co. Wildfire Victim Gets Pay It 4ward Help

Written for the Web by special projects producer Libby Smith

LONGMONT, Colo. (CBS4) ― As wildfire blew through Boulder County, fire crews worked hard to keep the flames from reaching homes and structures. The fire did destroy at least two homes. It started near a llama ranch north of Boulder and the wind swept it right across the property.

"The wind was so bad. It blew that way - the smoke was just horrendous," said 78-year-old Bobra Goldsmith.

Goldsmith is nationally known as a "Llama Goddess". She's an expert on breeding, training, and caring for these exotic animals.

"They're so intelligent they learn anything I teach them in four repetitions and they remember it," Goldsmith told CBS4.

But yesterday Goldsmith's entire operation was in jeopardy. Her house, her barn, and the llama pasture were right in the path of the fire.

"I really expect the fire to go that hot that fast, so I didn't really expect that it was going to burn the house down," said Lillette, Bobra's ranch manager.

It was Lillette who saw the fire headed for the ranch, but in a matter of minutes the house was gone. Goldsmith lost antiques and family mementoes.

"The wonderful fire people came and sprayed and sprayed, but the wind was so bad - it didn't save anything," Goldsmith said.

While she mourns the loss of all her possessions, this llama lover celebrates the survival of all 130 of her animals. And now the llama community is rallying to help.

"Someone just lent me these boots," Goldsmith added.

A CBS4 viewer has asked to pay it forward $1,000 to help Goldsmith move forward.

"For her to lose all her memories, she just needed a little support today. It's all I could think to do," said Kristine Paige, another fellow llama owner.

Left with only the clothes she's wearing and the animals she loves, Goldsmith won't leave her pets. She'll bring a trailer out to the property and sleep near their pasture, for their security and her own comfort.

(© MMIX CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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