Updated at 10:15 p.m. on Monday, July 29, 2024.
Authorities have ordered residents living near the mouth of Big Thompson Canyon to evacuate as fire crews work to contain a wildfire burning west of Loveland.
It’s unclear what started the fire, which firefighters are calling the Alexander Mountain fire, but the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office says the fire is covering nearly a mile-and-a-half of National Forest land. No injuries have been reported and no homes or buildings have been damaged.
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A U.S. Forest Service airplane mapped the fire at 247 acres at 12:45 p.m. and shortly after 2 p.m., officials said air support had arrived at the scene, including four helicopters and a large air tanker. By 3 p.m., the fire had grown to 365 acres. By Monday evening, the fire had grown to 950 acres — nearly one-and-a-half square miles.
Workers at the Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch, which is located near the base of the mountain, scrambled to move dozens of horses into trailers so they could be relocated to pasture land further away from the wildfire. The fire is producing a lot of smoke, which people have reported seeing from Fort Collins and Loveland.
The wildfire was first reported through a 9-1-1 call this morning around 10:38 a.m. Fire crews were on site about 20 minutes later, said Larimer County Emergency Services Director Justin Whitesell.
Dozens of fire departments have responded. There is a small team fighting the fire on the ground, but the main tool used in the early stages was aircraft. "Water and fire retardant were dropped continuously" from helicopters and air tankers until 8 p.m. Monday, according to the Larimer County Sheriff's Office.
Colorado will likely have to wait in line for some firefighting aircraft and federal fire resources due to the Park Fire in California and other wildfires burning in Western states, said Larimer County Emergency Services Director Justin Whitesell.
Highway 34 and other roads in the area have been closed. The Larimer County Sheriff's Office said residents who live near the highway from Drake to the Dam Store, including Storm Mountain and Palisade Mountain have been ordered to evacuate. Evacuations have also been ordered for residents who live in areas near Waltonia Road, Eden Valley to Sunrise Ranch and Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch to Ellis Ranch.
Further evacuations were ordered at 1:41 p.m. for Country Road 18E from Pole Hill to Pinewood Reservoir. A full map of mandatory evacuation zones and areas that should be prepared to evacuate can be found on Larimer County's alert system website.
Gary Wamsley is one evacuee from the area. He said he was getting ready to change the oil in his truck when his neighbor came and told him about the fire.
"It looked like it was coming right over the ridge by our house, but as I pulled out and I looked up, it's one ridge back," Wamsley said. "So, I really could have pushed the envelope a little bit, I suppose, and waited a little longer. I had the car turned around and pointed downhill ready to go."
Wamsley was with his wife and their dogs waiting for more word on the fire Monday afternoon.
People who live on County Road 86C north of Rustic, those near Glade Road north to Indian Creek and people near County Road 18E from County Road 31 to County Road 29 have been warned to be prepared to evacuate if the wildfire spreads or conditions worsen.
Evacuation Centers have been set up at Namaqua Elementary School at 209 N. Namaqua Ave and at the Estes Park Events Complex at 1125 Rooftop Way in Estes Park. Residents can evacuate large animals to The Ranch at 5290 Arena Circle in Loveland.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
