Live updates: Mandatory, voluntary evacuations expanded for Alexander Mountain Fire
All evacuations remained in place Tuesday morning as the Alexander Mountain Fire continued burning west of Loveland.
Crews were on the scene of the fire overnight Monday with air operations and "additional ground resources" expected to resume Tuesday morning, the Loveland County Sheriff's Office said Monday. The United States Forest Service is expected to assume command of the fire control efforts Tuesday, according to Inciweb, an incident command website that tracks wildfires across the nation.
The fire, which had grown to estimated 950 acres with no containment as of 7:45 p.m. Monday, was first reported in a 911 call received at 10:39 a.m., LCSO spokesperson David Moore said Monday.
Find the latest updates from Tuesday, July 30, below. We'll add the most recent updates to the top.
Large animal evacuations moving to Island Grove
Starting at 2 p.m. Tuesday, all large animal evacuations will move from The Ranch Events Complex in Loveland to Greeley's Island Grove Regional Park, the Larimer County Sheriff's Office announced on Facebook late Tuesday morning.
Evacuated animals smaller than a goat can still be taken to NOCO Humane, where 51 animals — a mix of dogs, cats, chicken and one guinea pig — were being temporarily cared for as of 12:20 p.m., according to NOCO Humane.
— Erin Udell
Voluntary evacuation area expanded
Voluntary evacuations have been ordered for Hidden Valley east of Devil's Backbone, including Ridge Parkway and Spring Glade Road to the north, according to a nocoalert.org update sent out at 12:14 p.m. Tuesday. Residents of the area are asked to gather essential items and prepare for evacuation.
— Erin Udell
Sheriff: No injuries, no structures burned
Firefighting efforts continued to focus on protecting people and structures Tuesday, Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen told reporters in a morning news briefing at Big Thompson Elementary School, where the roadblock closing U.S. Highway 34 to westbound traffic has been established.
The Alexander Mountain Fire was at 1,820 acres based on the most-recent mapping available, Feyen said, and had grown mostly to the north and northwest overnight.
That put the fire perimeter within about three-quarters of a mile of burn scars from both the Cameron Peak and Bobcat Ridge fires, where officials hope the lack of fuel will stop the spread, he said.
No injuries had been reported, and no structures had been burned, Feyen said during the briefing at 10:30 a.m.
The changeover in fire management kept the helicopters and airplanes that were working the fire Monday grounded for a few hours Tuesday morning, until they could be re-authorized and re-assigned through the new command team, Feyen said. A single-engine tanker began retardant while Feyen was speaking, and a helicopter began dumping water on the fire’s eastern edge about 11 a.m.
Fire engines and crews from across the state were being dispersed to protect the nearest homes and other infrastructure in the area, Feyen said. The closest homes to the fire are located more than a mile west of the fire’s eastern perimeter at Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch, which is being used as a staging area for firefighters and other emergency responders. Fire engines and crews from Arapahoe County and Brush were waiting in Masonville a little after 11 a.m. to see where they would be deployed, a firefighter said.
Although fire management was turned over to a U.S. Forest Service Incident Command team Tuesday morning, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office is still responsible for evacuations and emergency response, he said. Geographical “trigger points” established during the Cameron Peak Fire in 2020 will determine any additional evacuations, with the biggest concern being homes along Larimer County roads 27 and 29 between Masonville and U.S. Highway 34 and those south of Highway 34 if the fire were to cross the road, he added.
“We drew our box very large yesterday, and we did that for a couple of reasons. The reason we did that is because is we want people to have plenty of time to get wedding albums, their big animals, all those kinds of things out of their homes that they want.
“And also, should the fire get bigger overnight and make a huge run towards homes that we’re not trying to go door to door, because that’s one of our evacuation plans is we go door to door and make sure we make contact with everybody that’s in the home. We don’t want to do that at night, especially in the mountains. And we don’t want them to have to drive down, maybe pulling a trailer full of horses or llamas or whatever in the middle of the night," Feyen said.
— Kelly Lyell
Mandatory evacuations expanded
Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for the Masonville area and Glade Road from U.S. Highway 34 to Indian Creek, according to nocoalert.org. Residents must evacuate immediately.
— Erin Udell
Record precipitation in 2023 helping fuel Alexander Mountain Fire
The hot, dry weather this spring and summer, combined with last year's near-record to record precipitation, helped fuel the Alexander Mountain Fire, according to Becky Bolinger, assistant state climatologist.
Bolinger on X pointed out last year’s abundant moisture promoted vegetation growth that has now dried and become kindling.
“This could exhibit extreme (fire) behavior and be very difficult to manage,’’ she wrote. “Our saving grace is that we don’t have winds in the forecast. But I don’t think this fire is going away soon.’’
Mapping of the fire and surrounding area show very dry conditions over the past 90 days and an extremely high burn index, according to Climate Center mapping.
— Miles Blumhardt
Fire presents challenges on north, west sides
Challenges remain on the north and west sides of the Alexander Mountain Fire as crews work to control the blaze that started west of Loveland Monday morning.
The fire, which nearly doubled to an estimated 1,820 acres Tuesday morning with the help of hot and dry conditions, is holding in the Cedar Creek area on its west side, though it's not expected to hold much longer, incident commander Mike Smith said during a briefing late Tuesday morning.
It has also worked its way down one-third of the Big Thompson canyon off of U.S. Highway 34, though it is expected to run out of fuel there, Smith said.
The fire remains about half a mile from Sylvan Dale Ranch and is slowly backing up and moving north, where challenges remain for the crews working to attack the blaze, Smith said. Roughly 220 ground resources and additional aviation resources are currently part of the firefighting efforts, he added.
— Erin Udell
Evacuees flee to overnight shelter
The American Red Cross shelter at Foundations Church in Loveland has served around 60 evacuees since it opened at 5 p.m. Monday.
About 30 people stayed on cots overnight inside the church, with 20 more parked in campers or trailers in the church parking lot, said Gary Zawilinski, a Red Cross volunteer serving as shelter supervisor on Tuesday morning.
An employee at an RV park in the Big Thompson Canyon, who declined to identify herself to the Coloradoan, said she got the news Monday that she wouldn’t be able to report to work due to the fire and evacuations.
She lives in Loveland but now she doesn’t know when she’ll be able to resume working. And she’s worried for those who live in the RV park year-round, whom she’s gotten to know in her three months working at the park.
She said there’s a lot of anxiety about not knowing how long the evacuation will last. She said she is worried about the fire being at zero containment and not knowing where it’s headed next.
With the smell of smoke in the air and ash falling in the parking lot, volunteers filtered in and out.
A snack station with coffee and water was set up in the lobby. A sign in the lobby of the church directed people to a cat and dog shelter in the building, but a church volunteer said they preferred people take their animals to NOCO Humane, which had taken in 49 animals as of 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Some residents showed up simply to offer their help. One man came to the front door, announcing that he had a water donation delivery.
Moments before, a woman approached Red Cross volunteers to offer her help for anything they or the evacuees might need.
Foundations Church is a go-to location for the Red Cross when they need shelter space, said Care Pastor Frank Cirone, who was coordinating the effort with the Red Cross. He said the church opens its doors to the Red Cross because it wants to be a place where people can find help to meet their needs and also hope.
Cirone said he and his wife lived along Pole Hill Road near Estes Park for years and they understand what it’s like to be evacuated.
He said the church has about 50 volunteers working and they have been told their church could be needed to shelter evacuees for up to a week.
— Rebecca Powell
Fire nearly doubles to estimated 1,820 acres
The Alexander Mountain Fire has nearly doubled in size with multi-mission aircraft mapping the fire at 1,820 acres as of 10 a.m. Tuesday, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The fire area equates to roughly three square miles, close to the surface size of Horsetooth Reservoir.
Due to the fire's proximity to critical infrastructure and communities, it has been prioritized for additional state and local support and a complex incident management team will be arriving Wednesday night, according to Inciweb.
— Erin Udell
Air, ground crews work to secure fire perimeter
More than 200 ground resources, as well as airplanes and helicopters, were on scene at the Alexander Mountain Fire as crews worked to secure the fire perimeter around 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to Inciweb.
High temperatures and low humidity are expected throughout Tuesday, creating "near critical fire weather" over the fire area, the Inciweb update reads.
— Erin Udell
Horsetooth Reservoir remains closed to assist in firefighting efforts
Horsetooth Reservoir remained closed to boating and all forms of water recreation to assist the firefighting response Tuesday.
Patrol boats were stationed at the entrance to the reservoir near Inlet Bay Marina to enforce this closure, and an entrance gate remained closed on the South Bay boat ramp Tuesday morning.
Pinewood, Flatiron reservoirs and Carter Lake remain closed to recreation use due to being in or near the designated evacuation zones, according to the Larimer County Department of Natural Resources.
— Kelly Lyell
'Very weak' cold front expected Tuesday night
Weather conditions in the Loveland area will remain hot and dry Tuesday, with a high of 99 degrees and an estimated 8% humidity, according to the National Weather Service. The area will also experience reduced visibility and poor air quality from the growing wildfire smoke Tuesday.
A "very weak" cold front is expected to move in late Tuesday, making Wednesday a couple degrees cooler with a forecasted high of 96 degrees and light and variable winds less than 10 miles per hour.
— Erin Udell
Alexander Mountain Fire remains at 0% containment
The Alexander Mountain remains at 0% containment as of just after 8 a.m. Tuesday, according to Inciweb, an incident command website that tracks wildfires across the nation.
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office continues to manage the Joint Information Center and release information about evacuation notices, road closures and animal evacuation information. The information center reopened 8 a.m. Tuesday and can be reached at 970-980-2500.
— Sarah Kyle and Erin Udell
Loveland fire map: See evacuations, Alexander Mountain Fire's path
Several mandatory and voluntary evacuations remained in place as of Tuesday morning. For current evacuations and road closures, check out this updated fire map.
— Holly Engleman
Alexander Mountain Fire reaches 992 acres
The Alexander Mountain Fire officially reached 992 acres Monday night, the U.S. Forest Service announced 7 a.m. Monday. The fire slowly crept downhill overnight Monday and into Tuesday with no major runs, More information will be shared after morning command staff briefings.
— Erin Udell
Resources limited as other fires burn across the country and Canada
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office was focused on getting people out of the path of the Alexander Mountain Fire Monday afternoon, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services Coordinator Justin Whitesell said during a briefing.
More firefighting resources — including fire engines from across Colorado — were expected to join the Alexander Mountain Fire efforts in the next couple of days, Whitesell said Monday.
Firefighting resources were limited Monday owing to several other wildfires burning in California, Oregon, Utah and parts of Canada, Whitesell said.
"We are doing the best we can with the resources we have," he said, adding that fire engines in the area Monday were focused on evacuating people safely and protecting homes and structures.
— Kelly Lyell
Alexander Mountain Fire estimated at 950 acres, 0% containment Monday evening
The Alexander Mountain Fire had grown to an estimated 950 acres with no containment as of 7:45 p.m. Monday, July 29, Larimer County Sheriff's Office shared in a Monday evening press release.
The sheriff's office said air resources dropped water and fire retardant on the fire "continuously until about 8 p.m." Monday with additional ground resources expected to pick back up Tuesday.
The sheriff's office said it will transfer command of the fire to the U.S. Forest Service at 6 a.m. Tuesday. While the Forest Service will "be responsible for all public information moving forward," the sheriff's office will continue to manage the Joint Information Center and release information about evacuation notices, road closures and animal evacuation information. The information center will reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday and can be reached at 970-980-2500.
Mandatory evacuations remained in place for County Road 18E from Pole Hill to Pinewood Reservoir and Drake to Dam Store along U.S. Highway 34, including Storm Mountain and Palisade Mountain, the sheriff's office said. For the latest evacuation information, check nocoalert.org or text "LCEVAC" to 888777.
Evacuation sites are set up at Foundations Church, 1380 N. Denver Ave., in Loveland and Event Center in Estes Park, 1125 Rooftop Way. Large animals can be taken to The Ranch, 5400 Arena Circle, in Loveland. For small animals, contact NOCO Humane at 970-226-3647 (option 0).
— Sarah Kyle
Heat advisory in effect Tuesday
A heat advisory will remain in effect for Larimer County, northwest Weld County and parts of Boulder and Jefferson Counties from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Temperatures of 98 to 101 degrees are expected, adding to the hot and dry conditions under which the Alexander Mountain Fire began Monday.
— Erin Udell
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Live updates: Evacuations expanded for Alexander Mountain Fire
