Today In Northern Colorado, July 18, 2012

Here are stories from the TRI1025.com news desk.

Weather

Today: Mostly sunny in the morning...then partly cloudy with isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower to mid 90s. Chance of thunderstorms 20 percent.

Tonight: Partly cloudy with isolated thunderstorms in the evening...then mostly clear after midnight. Lows in the lower 60s. Chance of thunderstorms 20 percent.

Thursday: Partly cloudy. A 10 percent chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the lower to mid 90s. South winds 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon.

Mason corridor rail delivery could cause delays

The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway is delivering equipment and rails today for the railroad replacement project on Mason Street in Downtown Fort Collins. At various times throughout the day they will stop the train and unload rails along Mason Street blocking Mulberry Street, Myrtle Street, Laurel Street and Old Main Drive on Colorado State University’s campus.

'Contained' fires no longer banned

Larimer County Commissioners have rescinded the ban on ‘Contained’ fires and continued the restrictions on Open Fires and the Use of Fireworks yesterday for the unincorporated areas of Larimer County. The restrictions mean that the public can now have fires in areas with permanent fire structures such as campgrounds. Contained open fires are not restricted at this time. Today’s restrictions mean that no open fires are allowed, no open camp or cooking fires.

Insurance costs of recent fires at almost half a billion dollars

According to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association: Insurance companies expect to pay out nearly $450 million to victims of the Waldo Canyon and High Park fires, the fires destroyed more than more than 600 houses in Larimer and El Paso counties last month and damaged hundreds more. The total is double the $224 million logged during the Four-mile fire west of Boulder in 2010. That fire was considered the state's most costly.

Fort Collins trainer to work with Team USA at London Olympics

Erika Rice, an athletic trainer at the Fort Collins-based orthopedic center of the Rockies, has been selected by the United States Olympic Committee to serve as a trainer at the London Games, which hold opening ceremonies July 27. Trainers at OCR have also worked the 2008 and 2004 Olympics. Rice was offered a position at the training facilities in the middle of the Olympic village in London.

Meeting scheduled to help victims of recent wildfires cope

On Thursday, Larimer County will host a workshop for victims of the High Park Fire and others that will feature people affected by the 2010 Four-mile Fire. They will share lessons learned about all aspects of recovering from the loss of their homes. It will tackle everything from navigating the insurance claim process to rebuilding and recognizing and addressing the emotional toll of losing a home to wildfire, the Workshop is Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at in the Hearing Room of the Larimer County Courthouse offices at 200 West Oak in Fort Collins.