Larimer County adds new ways to get alerts after fatal flash flood in Cameron Peak burn scar

Editor's note: We've made this story detailing how to get Larimer County emergency alerts free to read in the interest of public safety. Please support the work of the Coloradoan by purchasing a digital subscription.

Six people have died from flash floods in the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire burn scar, including two Friday and four a year ago.

The latest deaths prompted the Larimer Emergency Telephone Authority on Tuesday to add landline and cellphone calls and email alerts for all flash flood warnings impacting burn scars in Larimer County.

"Flash floods happen very fast, which is why we are constantly layering in ways to inform people as quickly as possible of threats,'' said Kimberly Culp, LETA's CEO.

There are multiple options for people to subscribe to free alerts for flash floods and other events, including wildfires.

To access the new system for the LETA flash flood alerts, visit https://nocoalert.org/. Log into your account or create an account. Then go to ''my subscriptions,'' select "event alerts'' and then select "floods.''

Culp said adding the subscription box to opt in adds a layer of coverage for people who live or work where cell service is unpredictable. If people opt into the subscription, they will also be notified of alerts on their landline number and email addresses.

To receive only a text message for flash flood warnings in Larimer County’s burn scar, text FLOOD2022 to 888777. To receive emergency alerts for events happening throughout Larimer County via text message only, text NOCOAlert to 888777.

You can also receive alerts through LETA's social media channels on Twitter at @LETA_911 and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LETA911. However, Culp said due to potential delays, people should not rely on social media as their primary notification of a local emergency.

"These alerts are useful, but we still encourage people to constantly be aware of the weather and their surroundings when in risk areas and to make plans to escape in case of emergency,'' Culp said.

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Why it's important to pay attention to National Weather Service messages

The National Weather Service in Boulder sends out important weather-related messages on social media and through weather apps. These can come in the form of burn area flash flood threats, flash flood advisories and flash flood warnings.

The burn area flash flood threats are sent a day ahead or during a day with forecasted potential risks. The designations are color coded and classified as "none,'' "limited,'' "elevated'' and "significant.''

The day before Friday's flash flood in Crystal Mountain, Buckhorn Canyon and The Retreat area near Glen Haven, the weather service sent a message of elevated risk in those areas due to the potential of heavy rain.

The weather service said 0.91 of an inch of rain fell near Crystal Mountain, where the victims were in a camper trailer, with 0.67 of an inch coming in 20 minutes. The rain ran off soil charred from the fire and quickly turned into a flash flood.

On Tuesday, there were no flash flood threats for Tuesday and Thursday, with limited threats for Wednesday and Friday, in the Cameron Peak Fire burn scar. However, the weather service changes those designations as more information develops, so it is advised you regularly check its Twitter at twitter.com/nwsboulder, Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NWSBoulder/about?_rdr or its website at www.weather.gov/bou/.

The weather service, LETA, Larimer County Sheriff's Office Twitter account https://twitter.com/LarimerSheriff and Poudre Fire Authority Twitter account https://twitter.com/poudrefire share important notifications on their Twitter accounts.

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What do the different weather service messages mean?

Hazardous weather outlooks are issued daily by the weather service, with additional weather statements released as conditions dictate.

Here is a look at what the different hazardous weather messages mean:

Special weather statement: This is issued to keep the public and media abreast of weather situations that are significant but not thought to be life-threatening.

Advisory: Issued when hazardous weather or flooding is occurring, imminent or likely. Advisories are for less serious conditions than warnings that cause significant inconvenience and could lead to situations that may threaten life or property if caution is not exercised.

Watch: This means weather conditions are favorable for dangerous weather to occur. It means watch out for what the weather could do and be ready to act accordingly. You may wish to alter or have a backup plan for any outdoor activities or travel. For events that come and go quickly, such as severe thunderstorms, tornadoes or flash floods, a watch means the odds are good for the dangerous weather to occur but it is not yet happening.

Warnings: For severe thunderstorms, tornadoes and flash floods, this means the weather event is imminent or occurring somewhere in the defined warning area and that people need to take shelter as soon as possible.

Red flag warning: These are mainly issued when conditions have been met or exceeded, or there is a high confidence over the next 24 to 48 hours that the warning area will see frequent wind gusts of 25 mph or greater and relative humidity of 15% or less, or dry thunderstorms covering 15% or more of the warning area.

Fire weather watch: This alerts land management agencies to the high potential for development of red flag criteria over the next 12 to 72 hours.

Heat advisories: These used to be based on temperature alone. The National Weather Service in Boulder for the first time this year began issuing heat advisories based on temperature, duration, time of year, local climatology and locally derived heat/health models from the CDC. The heat risk ranges five levels, from no risk to very high risk.

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Reporter Miles Blumhardt looks for stories that impact your life. Be it news, outdoors, sports — you name it, he wants to report it. Have a story idea? Contact him at milesblumhardt@coloradoan.com or on Twitter @MilesBlumhardt.

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This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Larimer County adds email, landline alerts after latest fatal flood