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Day 8: Colorado wildfire - High Park Fire near Fort Collins now 54,232 acres, 45 percent containment, 181 homes destroyed, 1 dead

7:25 AM, Jun 17, 2012   |    comments
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Larimer County officials say 181 homes have burned, making it the "most destructive fire" in Colorado history. The total cost to fight the fire is estimated to be $10.2 million.

In comparison, the September 2010 Four Mile Canyon fire burned more than 6,300 acres and destroyed a total of 169 homes. The 2002 Hayman fire destroyed 133 homes and burned 138,000 acres of forest.

According to Larimer County officials there were 710 residences in the High Park Fire perimeter.  

The fire is currently 20 percent contained. Officials say the fire was 'quiet' on Friday night around the perimeter with no significant growth. The High Park Fire is currently at 54,232 acres.

On Saturday morning a firefighter on scene was air-lifted to a local hospital due to a pre-existing condition. The firefighter is stable  and the condition is non-life threatening.

At least 112 homes were lost in fire, officials said Friday.

The worst hit area was the Whale Rock neighborhood where 40 homes were lost.

The following list is of structures destroyed in the High Park Fire:

• Solider Canyon - 1
• Missle Silo Rd (29C) - 1
• Cloudy Pass - 1
• Picnic Rock - 1
• Pine Acres - 5
• Stratton Park - 21
• Poudre Canyon - 17
• Spring Valley - 3
• Old Flowers - 1
• Whale Rock - 40
• Paradise Park - 12
• Tip Top - 2
• Rist Creek - 7

The Red Cross will opened a second shelter Friday at the Cache La Poudre Middle School, located at 3515 West County 54G in Laporte.

Fire officials say the current cost of the fire is estimated at $9.1 million.

Of the 3,000 notifications sent out for evacuations since the fire started, 1,187 of those have been lifted. However, Thursday night, 200 more evacuations were sent out at 11 p.m. on Thursday for the ninth filing of Glacier View.

These evacuations include 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.

An evacuation order was issued at 5 p.m. on Thursday for the Glacier View area from Many Thunders Road south into the 10th, 11th and 12th filing.

High Park Fire officials say embers crossed over Highway 14, sparking a fire on the north side of the highway that grew to 200 acres Friday.

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.

Other evacuations include:

  • 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

Larimer County Sheriff deputies say approximately 1,500 personnel are fighting the blaze.

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.

Read the full weather forecast here

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

Some residents were allowed back home on Wednesday after receiving credentials to get through road blocks. As of noon on Thursday, Bonner Peaks residents were allowed back into the area. Officials do not anticipate reopening Cloudy Pass, Mill Canyon or Soldier Canyon on Friday. These areas are still being evaluated.

The evacuation area south of CR38E from Gindler Ranch Road west to Milner Ranch Road was lifted after a few days.

Fire officials also 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.

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.

According to Larimer County, many residents are refusing to evacuate. The county is keeping a record of who refused for public records.

The thousands of people who were sent evacuation-order notices this week went to The McKee building at The Ranch at Interstate 25 and Crossroads Boulevard.

Larimer County opened the High Park Fire Disaster Recovery Center on Friday 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. 

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.

One firefighter was taken by a non-emergency by ambulance out of the area for heat exhaustion on June 10. Two other firefighters were suffered burns, but they returned to fighting the fire after being released from the hospital.

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 caused the High Park Fire.

Resources: 

High Park Fire interactive timeline: 

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