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Updated at 7:13 p.m. on July 30, 2024
More than 200 firefighters are still working to contain the Alexander Mountain fire burning west of Loveland, which now covers nearly six square miles, the U.S. Forest Service said.
Crews plan to use aircraft to start dropping fire retardant as soon the smoke clears enough for pilots, said incident commander Mike Smith.
“It's a pretty significant increase from yesterday with the low relative humidities overnight,” he said.
The wildfire was first reported on a 911 call around 10:30 a.m. on Monday. Fire crews were on the scene about 20 minutes later. Evacuations were ordered and are still in place for residents near the mountain. No injuries or major damage has been reported.
New evacuations were ordered on Tuesday for residents near County Road 43 from Drake to just west of Old Bridge Road, people north of Carter Lake Reservoir to Highway 34 and people in the Masonville area and Glade Road north of Highway 34. The new order pushes the evacuation zone further east and stops just miles short of more populated residential areas.
The fire is now one-third of the way down the canyon and is roughly a half-mile from the Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch, which scrambled Monday to herd dozens of horses into trailers so they could be relocated to safer pastures further away from the fire.
Smith said the biggest concern is near Cedar Creek and on the north and west sides of the fire. Teams have called in aircraft to drop water and fire retardant on Tuesday, and have requested a larger federal team to help manage the fire.
Conditions on Tuesday will be ideal for rapid fire growth, due to low humidity, relatively strong winds and warm temperatures. The National Weather Service said winds will begin to pick up in the afternoon, with gusts expected to reach up to 35 mph.
That team will bring more expertise and resources, Smith said, but will need time to set up because federal teams have been dispatched to fight other major wildfires across the country, including the Park fire in California — which is covering nearly 600 square miles and now considered the fifth-largest wildfire in state history.
“There just aren't very many teams or assets available,” Smith said.
The Alexander fire is producing thick, heavy smoke that is visible for miles. State health officials on Monday issued an air quality alert for southeastern Larimer County and warned residents — especially the young, elderly or those with health conditions — to limit outdoor activity if smoke accumulates in their neighborhoods.
Multiple evacuations ordered on Monday remain in place. Most of the evacuations were ordered along Highway 34, which remains closed, from Drake to the Dam Store. Evacuations were also ordered for residents who live in areas near Waltonia Road, Eden Valley to Sunrise Ranch and Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch to Ellis Ranch, as well as 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.
Evacuation Centers have been set up at Foundations Church at 1380 N. Denver Avenue 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. A shelter at Namaqua Elementary School was closed at 5:00 p.m. Monday and transitioned to the Foundations Church.
‘Our third evacuation’
Larry Wayne evacuated from his home in the Cedar Springs area near Drake on Monday and spent the night in a hotel with his dog, a one-eyed Chihuahua mix named Huckleberry.
He drove to the Foundations Church evacuation center on Tuesday to get some food and water and said he’d likely spend his second night there.
Rob Moore, who lives near the Pinewood Reservoir, said he evacuated Monday with his wife and dog and stayed in his RV overnight at the evacuation center. Moore said the family was able to leave quickly because they always have a go-bag of clothes and necessary items packed and ready in case of a wildfire.
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“We’ve been there for 30 years,” Moore said. “This is our third evacuation.”
Moore said he tried to return to his home Tuesday morning to retrieve a camper but was turned away at a roadblock. He said his home doesn’t appear directly threatened at this point, but was glad to be far away from the wildfire.
“We are just grateful for all the volunteers,” he said. “Every time we go through something like this, it's humbling — and there's a lot of people out there willing to help.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
