Here we are at the annual Colorado State Fair in Pueblo Colorado. This years fair has had record attendance so far. An extremely good sign considering the loss of revenue in tourism after the recent Monster "Hayman Fire." The Hayman Fire was the worst Fire in Colorado's history, promoting President Bush to make note of it and allowing Governor Bill Owens carte blanche in securing Federal Funding for a "Disaster Area" but Colorado is not stopping. Colorado'ans from all over the state have volunteered their support.

• Click here to see the Hayman Fire Restoration Project:

But the Hayman Fire was not the only big fire there were many others. Even as we write this there are four fires burning in the Northern Territory of Colorado outside Steamboat Springs. Two fires North of Steamboat Springs had burned 35,554 acres Another uncontained fire has burned 15,000 acres. The Green Creek Fire burned 4,400 acres and another nearby fire had burned 556 acres and has been nearly 100% contained. All these fires are in addition to the fires of the last three months.

• Click here for more from the Steamboat Springs Chamber

We too had much drought and water conservation information available in the Blitz Exhibit Mobile. Water Works gave away 6,200 gallons of bottled water at the fair and water conservation material and drought information. Also on hand was the FFA-Future Farmers of America telling people of the importance to livestock and farming which is 20% of the industry in the Pueblo in the area.

The National Weather Service in Pueblo is of extreme use in predicting the rain fall and drought. At the NOAA they explained to us exactly how serious the problem was and how the clouds simply cross over the region without letting down any rain. The rain season in Colorado started yesterday and it did rain heavily in Colorado Springs and Denver but Southern Colorado got next to none. A ten minute wannabe drizzle. What they did get was lightening. Even thought the Hayman Fire was set by a person most all of the states fire are started by lightening and right now there is nothing but dry brush everywhere.

This years State Fair was an economic cash cow for local Pueblo Business Community. Rod Slyhoff of the Pueblo Chamber of Commerce was happy to see the tourism business which has also visited the new River Walk area which uses the water cooling ponds from the utility Plant across the Arkansas River.

The City of Pueblo suffered and incredible flood in it's history and a cement canal was built and has since been reduced to little more than a trickle. But this water also provides for a River Walk similar to San Antonio's Famous River Walk and in Pueblo they give boat ride tours similar to the boat tours in Oklahoma City's "Brick City." HARP-Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo was also on hand at the fair to alert all attendees of the great new tourist attraction. Bill Hyde and Kristen Donovan were on hand, they are the El Pomar Foundation leaders, a philanthropic group which is well known in the ranks of Southern Colorado. They spoke about HARP, the drought, the tragic fires and how it has brought Colorado together.

After Carnegie Steel closed, the Federal Government stepped in and set up the GPO-Government Printing office in Pueblo, Colorado, which proved to be a good location and also provided much needed jobs to the area. They also had a both on the next row to explain how people could get copies of important government reports in their downtown GPO Outlet. We visited the Downtown location and book store as well as their distribution center after we learned of this great service. Today the GPO has been scaled down to a skeleton operation due to the internet being able to provide the information instantly.