Longmont reopens Button Rock Preserve as officials gain control of Kruger Rock Fire

John Fryar, Daily Times-Call, Longmont, Colo.
·1 min read

Nov. 18—Longmont has reopened Button Rock Preserve west of Lyons to the public, city officials announced this morning.

The city had closed the Preserve on Tuesday because of the Kruger Rock Fire south of Estes Park, but Assistant Longmont City Manager Sandi Seader said in an email that "we have reports that the Kruger Rock Fire is slowly being controlled."

"The majority of the containment line is constructed on the south and east sides of the fire offering further protection for Button Rock," Seader said. "We will continue to monitor the situation due to the forecasted Red Flag Warning for today into tomorrow morning. In the meantime, we have reopened the Button Rock Preserve."

The closing of Button Rock was done "out of an abundance of caution," Longmont Parks and Natural Resources Director David Bell said Tuesday.

While the fire at that point was about 10 miles from the Preserve, Bell stated in a release Tuesday's voluntary evacuation zone was "only two miles north of Ralph Price Reservoir."