High Park Fire officials say embers crossed over Highway 14, sparking a 60 to 100 acre fire on the north side of the highway.
The call for evacuation went out around 5 p.m. Residents of about 80 homes on the north side of the fire were ordered out Thursday evening, even as other residents to the east were allowed to return.
The areas that were evacuated includes:
- Glacier View: 9th filing area, includes area east from Eiger Road to Rams Horn Mountain Road and north from the Mount Blanc Guardian Peak area to the north end of Mount Everest Drive.
- Meadow Mountain Drive
- Little Bald Mountain Court
- Grey's Peak Court
- Diamond Peak Court
- Little Twins Court
- Red Mountain Court
- Pingree Hill Court
- Rabbit Ears Court
- Bullrock Court
- Black Mountain Court
The fire has grown to over 50,000 acres and is 15 to 20 percent contained.
Larimer County Sheriff deputies say 1,263 personnel are fighting the blaze as of Thursday morning.
Due to the high-fire danger and the very dry conditions in Colorado, Governor John Hickenlooper banned open burning and private use of fireworks throughout the state. The ban does not apply to campfires in fire pits, fireplaces, grills or controlled burns for agricultural purposes. Commercial, professional and municipal firework displays are allowed as long as they have the proper permits.
The east side near Fort Collins has some heat spots, and the fire seems to be gaining ground.
Firefighters are working to prevent a crown run on northwest and west side of fire using burnouts and air support. They are hoping the fire will not jump the river.
A cold front moving through northern Colorado will bring slightly cooler weather and a chance for isolated showers and thunderstorms Thursday.
Rain and lightning will be a part of the forecast for locations along the Front Range Foothills, including the High Park burn area.
Isolated storms will begin to develop over higher elevations from the Red Feather Lakes, south to Colorado Springs after 2 p.m. Thursday. Lightning, gusty winds, and brief periods of rain will be the main threats. Storms will quickly move east onto the Front Range and eastern plains by Thursday evening, ending Thursday night.
9NEWS Meteorologist Marty Coniglio reports smokes plumes reaching 34,000 feet Wednesday, which is 10,000-feet higher than the most intense point of the fire on Saturday or Sunday.
View map of fire perimeter here
The High Park Fire officials issued a pre-evacuation notice for Glacier View residents.
Residents were allowed back home on Wednesday after receiving credentials to get through road blocks. As of noon on Thursday, Bonner Peaks residents will be allowed back into the area. Some other areas are opening too for residents.
The evacuation area south of CR38E from Gindler Ranch Road west to Milner Ranch Road is lifted. Residents in this area need credentials to go through the roadblock, which can be obtained at The Ranch or at the roadblock in that area.
Fire officials have issued an all-clear for the area of Big Bear Road, Bar D Ranch Road, south on the Buckhorn Road to the junction of the Masonville Road, northwest to include Alfalfa Way, Buckhorn Ridge Way and Running Brook Lane.
Officials say structure-protection groups were able to save several homes Tuesday.
Larimer County says the High Park Fire has cost of $3 million so far. That figure is expected to increase.
The Colorado and Wyoming National Guards provided 50 military police to work the numerous roadblocks in the area.
On Monday afternoon, officials said at least 118 structures have been damaged or destroyed by the fire in the Rist Canyon area. Seventy percent of the fire is burning private land while 30 percent is on U.S. Forest Service land.
On Monday, authorities confirmed 62-year-old Linda Steadman died from the blaze. Search crews found Steadman's remains at her house on Old Flowers Road.
Authorities say Steadman received two notification calls. A deputy was on his way to personally warn her, but he was pushed back by flames.
The state of Colorado activated its emergency-management center in Centennial Monday morning - sending much-needed crews and equipment to fight the fire.
Thousands of people were sent evacuation-order notices this week to keep them out of harm's way. Evacuees went to The McKee building at The Ranch at Interstate 25 and Crossroads Boulevard.
Larimer County will open the High Park Fire Disaster Recovery Center on Friday at 7 a.m. at Johnson Hall on the Colorado State University campus in Fort Collins. The DRC will provide a one-stop opportunity for victims of the High Park Fire to receive services and obtain information on County, State, and CSU services.
The Glacier View evacuation notice includes from County Road 68C junction with County Road 74E, east to the Hewlett Gulch Road and all roadways in that housing district, south to the north side of Highway 14 and west to the junction with County Road 68C. Residents should be prepared to leave immediately if necessary.
The fire has prompted officials to send out thousands of evacuation notices since Saturday.
The area includes the Hourglass and Comanche reservoirs, east on the Buckhorn Road up to and including Pennock Pass, northeast to the intersection of Stove Prairie Road and Highway 14, and west to the intersection of Highway 14 and Pingree Park Road.
Evacuation orders for parts of the Horsetooth area off CR 38E, west to Milner Ranch Road and to Gindler Ranch Road, were lifted Tuesday. But the northern part of the reservoir is still under an evacuation order.
The following evacuation orders were sent out as of Monday:
- Pre-evacuation notice sent to part of Glacier View CR74E, south and east of McNay Hill. Hewlett Gulch Road, Deer Meadow Way and Gordon Creek Lane
- North of County Road 38E, from Horsetooth Reservoir to Redstone Canyon to Lory State park
- Bonner Peaks subdivision
- County Road 44H (Buckhorn Road) from County Road 27 to Pennock Pass and residents to the south approximately 3/4-1 mile, you will need to exit the area by going east on County Road 44H/Buckhorn Road
- CR27E to Bellvue
- Areas south and west of Bellvue to include the Lory State Park area, the Redstone Canyon area and Buckhorn Road up to the Stove Prairie School
- Poudre Canyon from MM111 to MM118 on Highway 14. This means Poudre Canyon from Stove Prairie to MM118 is under mandatory evacuations
- The area between CR27E and Stove Prairie Road and south through the entire Rist Canyon area including Davis Ranch Road, Whale Rock Road. South on CR44H 3 miles to just north of Stringtown Gulch Road
- Paradise Park Road, Moose Horn Lane, Magic Lane and Spencer Mountain Road
- Old Flowers Road from Stove Prairie Road to the 8000 block of Old Flowers Road
- Stove Prairie Road north along County Road 27 to Highway 14, east along Highway 14 to approximately mile marker 111, southeast to Rist Canyon Fire Station 1, then back west to include Wilderness Ridge Way, Rist Creek Road, Spring Valley Road and County Road 41 and all of the roads that run off of it
According to Larimer County, many residents are refusing to evacuate. The county is keeping a record of who refused for public records.
Large animals and livestock can be taken to The Ranch also. Small domestic animals can be taken to the Larimer County Humane Society. If you want to help the evacuated animals, you can donate to the Larimer Humane Society online, www.larimerhumane.org.
Many wolves were evacuated from the Wolf Sanctuary in Larimer County. Each wolf is with its pack-mate, allowing them to be in groups of two or three. Volunteers are monitoring the wolves 24 hours a day. If you would like to help, offers can be made on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/nocowolfsanctuary. They need items such as dog food, bowls, kennels, blankets and various other things listed on their Facebook page.
The fire dens - or underground concrete bunkers - that were built in 2011 are working. Monday afternoon, the Wolf Sanctuary workers were able to get into the facility and check in on the animals. Though there is slight fire damage to the property, the fire has not affected the enclosures. They were not able to evacuate more animals, but they were able to bring in more food and water.
"The community is here for you and the community really does care. So, thank you for those who care," Patricia Billinger, with the American Red Cross, said.
One firefighter was taken by a non-emergent by ambulance out of the area for heat exhaustion on Sunday. Two other firefighters were suffered burns, but they returned to fighting the fire after being released from the hospital.
At least 100 homes were lost or damaged due to the fire with more threatened. Larimer County confirmed the structures were mostly lost in the following areas:
- Rist Canyon
- Stove Prairie to Old Flowers Road
- Paradise Park
- Poudre Canyon and Park
There are many unburned areas within the perimeter of the fire, so residents should not assume their homes are damaged or destroyed. An assessment and recovery team will be working to identify specific addresses of damaged or destroyed properties.
"It's pretty tough, people have lost their homes and everything they owned," Hickenlooper said Sunday. "Their world is very different than it was a day ago."
Road closures include:
- Highway 14 from Ted's Place to Stove Prairie Road
- Highway 14 east of CR69
- CR23 & Lodge Pole/Lory State Park
- CR25E & CR54E
- CR27 (Stove Prairie Road) south from Highway 14
- CR27 (Stove Prairie Road) one mile south of CR44H (Buckhorn Road)
- CR27 & CR38E
- CR27 north of CR44H
- CR38E and CR25E
- CR44H (Buckhorn Road) west of CR27
- CR52E (Rist Canyon Road) west of CR27E
- CR52E (Rist Canyon Road) CR25E Bellvue
- CR69 & Highway 14
The High Park Fire was first spotted at around 6 a.m. Saturday. Crews had to hike through difficult terrain to first reach the area.
Lightning cause the High Park Fire.
The Governor also spoke about the dry conditions in Colorado. He said there's a possibility of larger fire bans and restrictions for the Fourth of July holiday.
See if your county is under a fire ban
Resources:
High Park Fire interactive timeline:
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