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Tag: Wildfire

If Alexander Mountain fire continues, evacuated Northern Colorado farmers say their livelihood is in jeopardy
CBS Colorado, Local

If Alexander Mountain fire continues, evacuated Northern Colorado farmers say their livelihood is in jeopardy

By Dillon Thomas | CBS Colorado A team of local farmers west of Loveland say the Alexander Mountain Fire could potentially ruin their source of income if it continues to grow to the east.  Those with the Eden Valley farm say they are under mandatory evacuation, and that has rid of their ability to work on their produce or harvest.  The farm is located only about a mile or two away from the fire, says Isaac Livingood, a manager of the team's farmers market outreach.  The group had just finished harvesting their crop for the week when the fire began. They gathered personal items quickly and loaded their refrigerated truck with the produce they had and headed east.  READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
What does the containment percentage mean for wildfires?
kdvr.com, Local

What does the containment percentage mean for wildfires?

By Brooke Williams | Fox 31 News Several wildfires are burning thousands of acres in Colorado. And while some have not shown significant growth, they remain at low levels of containment after days of firefighting. As of Friday morning, the Alexander Mountain Fire that started Monday has burned over 9,000 acres and is 5% contained, up from 0% on Thursday. The deadly Stone Canyon Fire that started Tuesday afternoon is at 1,553 acres and 30% contained. The Quarry Fire, which started Tuesday and authorities are investigating as arson, has burned more than 400 acres. It was 0% contained until Friday morning when fire crews reported 4% containment. As of Friday afternoon, the fire is reportedly 10% contained. READ THE FULL STORY AT FOX 31 NEWS
Stone Canyon Fire forces 600 animals to be evacuated from Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
CBS Colorado, Local

Stone Canyon Fire forces 600 animals to be evacuated from Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

By Jennifer McRae | CBS Colorado The Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center had to act quickly on Tuesday when the Stone Canyon Fire grew close to its facility. Staff saw the flames peaking over the ridge located directly behind the center and decided to activate the emergency evacuation plan.  They had nearly 600 injured or orphaned animals living at the center including a raccoon, squirrel, songbirds, geese, ducks and bunnies. It took staff about an hour to get them all wrangled up and on their way to live at other centers.  The animals went to private animal rehabilitators until Thursday morning when they were given the all-clear to return to the Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. They began with a goose that had surgery on Monday, and the baby bunnies because the...
Wildfire concerns lead organizers to cancel Estes Park half marathon, 5K
BizWest, Local

Wildfire concerns lead organizers to cancel Estes Park half marathon, 5K

By BizWest With several wildfires actively burning around Estes Park, the organizers of the Rocky Mountain Half Marathon & 5K scheduled for Saturday have canceled the race.  “Vacation Races (the event organizer) has been actively monitoring the developing fire crisis in Colorado for several days,” the company said in an email. “As you are aware, this afternoon the situation changed dramatically, with four new fires appearing within the last 24 hours in sporadic locations within the region. Boulder County and Larimer County fire districts, along with the Estes Park Police Department, have requested all events be canceled in Estes Park while they investigate and triage the growing evacuation demands.” Vacation races said it would give would-be runners “options to complete t...
Sheriff: Alexander Mountain fire burned more than two dozen structures
denvergazette.com, Local

Sheriff: Alexander Mountain fire burned more than two dozen structures

By Alexander Edwards | Denver Gazette The Alexander Mountain fire destroyed more than two dozen structures, according to Larimer County Sheriff’s Office. The structures, most outbuildings and homes, are in the immediate area of Palisade Mountain Drive and Snow Top Drive.  The blaze burning eight miles west of Loveland grew to more than 8,100 acres Thursday and remained less than 5% contained. Emergency services personnel were able to enter several neighborhoods hit by the fire. Damage assessment teams will start a more thorough assessment of the damage Friday morning and begin to inform property owners when that process is complete.  READ THE FULL STORY AT DENVER GAZETTE
Since Monday morning, fires in Larimer, Boulder and Jefferson counties have forced thousands to flee their homes
State, The Colorado Sun

Since Monday morning, fires in Larimer, Boulder and Jefferson counties have forced thousands to flee their homes

By The Colorado Sun Fire crews are spread across the Front Range as hot, dry weather is fueling three wildfires Wednesday in the foothills, forcing thousands of people from their homes. One person has died in the fire near Lyons, according to the Boulder County sheriff. The Alexander Mountain fire started Monday morning west of Loveland and by Wednesday morning was confirmed at 5,080 acres with numerous evacuations in Larimer County. The Stone Canyon fire was reported Tuesday afternoon north of Lyons, and by Wednesday morning had burned 1,320 acres in Boulder County, with no significant growth overnight. It is burning just a few miles from the Alexander Mountain fire. READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORADO SUN
Alexander Mountain fire triples in size to 990 acres in a day
CBS Colorado, Local

Alexander Mountain fire triples in size to 990 acres in a day

By Austen Erblat, Jesse Sarles, Dillon Thomas | CBS Colorado The Alexander Mountain Fire in Larimer County grew slowly overnight to around 990 acres on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The fire forced evacuations in Big Thompson Valley on Monday. What was initially reported at about 100 acres around 10:30 a.m. that day grew to 365 acres in a few hours and then 950 acres by the evening with 0% containment. Tuesday morning, Copter4 flew over the fire and captured images of the blaze on U.S. Forest Service land. The fire is currently about 20 miles west of Loveland. READ THE FULL STORY AT CBS COLORADO
The future is here: AI-powered cameras dispatched firefighters to wildfire
CBS Colorado, Local

The future is here: AI-powered cameras dispatched firefighters to wildfire

By Spencer Wilson | CBS Colorado After a wildfire broke out at an unattended campsite just east of a popular Breckenridge neighborhood, local firefighters are praising a new tool for their quick reaction to get the flames put out before they became too much to handle.  Aside from growing in a place where wildfire mitigation had taken place only a year and a half ago, the Wellington wildfire was spotted by a Pano AI camera, financially supported by Xcel Energy. The camera sits on a cell tower with a 360-degree view and submits an alert to emergency crews if it notices smoke. While that has resulted in a few false alarms in Summit County, this was the first instance where a wildfire was caught early, and kept to only one-eighth of an acre, firefighters said, thanks to...
Colorado utility bills may increase 10% over four years to pay for wildfire mitigation
State, The Center Square

Colorado utility bills may increase 10% over four years to pay for wildfire mitigation

By By Joe Mueller | The Center Square Monthly Xcel Energy bills will increase approximately 10% or more by 2028 to pay for a wildfire mitigation plan submitted to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. The utility emphasized its primary focus is safety for both the communities it serves and its customers in a media release announcing the submission. If the agency approves the plan, residential bills will increase through incremental bi-annual amounts until reaching approximately $8.88 a month by Jan. 1, 2028. “Our goal is to ensure that no catastrophic wildfire is started by Xcel Energy assets,” Bob Frenzel, president and chief executive officer of Xcel Energy, said in a statement. “And, while we’ve made significant wildfire safety progress in Colorado and achieved key goals, t...
There’s an app for that. Some Colorado counties broadcast emergency alerts through app
State, The Colorado Sun

There’s an app for that. Some Colorado counties broadcast emergency alerts through app

By Tatiana Flowers | The Colorado Sun After Eagle County officials responded to seven small wildfires in less than a year, they felt it was critical to begin providing emergency alerts to residents in a swifter, more effective way — and in multiple languages. About a year ago, when Eagle County officials began working with leaders at ReachWell — an organization that runs a cell phone app that translates emergency alerts into more than 130 languages — they didn’t know much about platforms that can interpret or translate emergency alerts. Now, people in Eagle County, who have the app downloaded onto their phones can receive traffic alerts and reports about wildfires and flooding, said Fernando Almanza, deputy emergency manager for Eagle County.  READ THE FULL STORY AT THE COLORAD...