Local builder turning burned trees into art

The Waldo Canyon Fire left thousands of acres of destruction. Now, one Colorado Springs man is working to turn the devastation into something positive.

Mitchell Dillman, COO and chief designer with Colorado Rock*N Logs, has developed the Waldo Canyon Collection. The collection features furniture crafted from trees that were scorched by the fire.

Dillman said he began making phone calls to homeowners asking them to refrain from throwing the dead trees away, letting him have access to the trees instead.

“It’s been awesome. I’m so excited to be able to tell everyone that we can do something good with the bad of the fire,” said Dillman.

Dillman has been utilizing burned logs since the Hayman Fire. He said there is a lot of thought that goes into each piece, and said each piece is one of a kind.

According to Dillman, he only uses trees that have died as a result of the fire. He does not cut down and use trees that would otherwise survive.

For residents who were directly impacted by the Waldo Canyon Fire and have a “Colorado Springs Together Card,” he is offering a 20 percent discount on the furniture through the end of the summer.

For more information and pricing on these pieces, click here.