This story is no longer being updated. Find the latest news on the Alexander Mountain fire here.
Updated at 10:12 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Hundreds of local, state and federal firefighters are still working to contain the Alexander Mountain fire, which ignited Monday and has grown to cover more than 11 square miles west of Loveland, the U.S. Forest Service said.
The Alexander Mountain fire is the largest currently burning in Colorado. Nobody has reported injuries, and no homes or buildings have been destroyed.
Investigators are probing the cause of the fire, which was reported through a 911 call Monday morning.
Incident commander Mike Smith said Wednesday that firefighters were concentrating on keeping the blaze away from U.S. Route 34 on the south side of the fire and the Cedar Park area towards the northwest.
“It's a tough place to fight fire,” Smith said. “It's one way in, one way out. We're doing what we can.”
Where are evacuation centers for the Alexander Mountain fire?
Evacuation Centers have been set up at Foundations Church at 1380 N. Denver 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.
What's the current status of the Alexander Mountain fire?
Nearly 300 firefighters have been working to control the fire, which is still uncontained and has blanketed Loveland with thick smoke.
For days, crews have worked to control the fire on the ground and through nearly continuous air drops of water and fire retardant. Smith said air drops would resume Wednesday once the smoke has cleared enough for pilots to navigate safely.
Evacuations have been ordered for a wide area east of Estes Park and west of Loveland.
The fire has been fueled by low humidity, high temperatures and dry trees and brush, the U.S. Forest Service said.
State health authorities have issued an air quality alert for the northern Front Range due to smoke from both the Alexander Mountain fire and the Stone Canyon fire, which is burning 25 miles to the south.
Gov. Jared Polis has declared a disaster for the Alexander Mountain fire and other fires burning across the state.
Polis met with first responders at a Loveland Fire Station 10 miles away from the fire and said the state will be monitoring the cluster of wildfires that have ignited across the northern Front Range this week and will continue to coordinate resources, including aircraft, road closures and firefighters.
“These fire events will likely occur for weeks and even months,” Polis said.
Federal funds and specialized teams are on the way
The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Wednesday also authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Alexander Mountain fire and the Stone Canyon fire.
A larger federal team has also been requested to help manage the fire, Smith said.
That team will bring more expertise with commanding complex fires, but won’t take control of the operation until Thursday because national resources are stretched thin with so many other major wildfires burning across the country.
That includes the Park fire in California, which is now one of the largest wildfires in that state’s history.
Some specialized teams of federal firefighters and other federal resources are expected to arrive Wednesday.
“We're doing what we can with what we have,” Smith said Wednesday.
Will conditions improve for the Alexander Mountain fire?
The Alexander Mountain fire was stoked by dry, warm weather on Tuesday, but firefighters could be helped by cooler weather Wednesday.
Winds are expected to be light near the Stone Canyon fire and temperatures are forecasted to be cooler, according to the National Weather Service.
Crews are also working to contain a third wildfire that has forced evacuations in Jefferson County.
Wildfires in Colorado
- Stone Canyon fire: Firefighters work overnight to contain fire burning near Lyons
- Quarry fire: Wildfire burning in south Jefferson County triggers evacuations near Deer Creek Canyon
- Lake Shore fire: Residents evacuated in Boulder County as fourth wildfire erupts in northern Front Range
- How to make an evacuation plan for fires, floods and other Colorado disasters
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Molly Cruse contributed to this report.
