Alexander Mountain Fire now more than 7,600 acres, 1% contained (2024)

Editor's note: This story is no longer being updated. The latest information about the Alexander Mountain Fire can be found here.

Crews continued to fight the fast-growing Alexander Mountain Fire west of Loveland on Wednesday.

As of updated size totals posted Wednesday evening, the fire has grown to more than 7,600 acres since it was first reported Monday. But crews also gained the first reported containment: 1%.

The below updates are from Wednesday, July 31. We'll share Thursday updates in a new story.

Crews gain first reported containment of Alexander Mountain Fire

The fire, which was first reported Monday, grew from 5,080 acres as of 7 p.m. Tuesday to an estimated 7,648 acres by 7 p.m. Wednesday. But the Wednesday evening update from the U.S. Forest Service included the first reported containment of the fire: 1%.

"Smoke in the area impacted visibility around the fire, and there were times when aviation assets could not be utilized," the Forest Service said. "When safe, resources dropped water and fire retardant to help secure the fire perimeter and protect values at risk. Firefighters successfully worked on securing the east perimeter near Sylvan Dale Ranch."

Fire crews will staff the fire overnight, and work to engage the fire will continue "where safe" Thursday morning, according to the update. Firefighting efforts will continue to include aircraft.

While "hot, dry and windy" weather is expected in the fire area Thursday and Friday, the Forest Service pointed to "a slight change of scattered rain" over the weekend.

Thursday will bring another change of command for the fire. At 6 a.m., Southwest Area Incident Management Team 1 will take over. The Joint Information Center, 970-980-2500, will continue to be operated by Larimer County Sheriff's Office, which will also continue to release information on evacuations and road closures. The information center will reopen at 8 a.m. Thursday, and you can sign up for text notifications about the evacuations by texting "LCEVAC" to 888777.

Evacuation information is also shared in a map at nocoalert.org.

— Sarah Kyle

Cause of Alexander Mountain Fire 'under investigation'

What caused the Alexander Mountain Fire is "under investigation," the U.S. Forest Service said in a Wednesday evening update. The Forest Service asked anyone who has information about the fire's cause or origin to call the Forest Service Law Enforcement Tip Line, 303-275-5266. The Forest Service also has an online portal where photos and videos can be shared.

— Sarah Kyle

Alexander Mountain Fire now more than 7,600 acres

The Alexander Mountain Fire is now 7,648 acres as of 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to updated U.S. Forest Service estimates shared by Larimer County Sheriff's Office.

"Further info about containment & ongoing firefighting efforts will be available later tonight," the sheriff's office said in a post on X.

— Sarah Kyle

Fire grows in size, particularly to the north and west

The Alexander Mountain Fire had grown to more than 6,800 acres and was moving to the north and west Wednesday, fire officials said.

A multi-mission aircraft mapped the fire’s area at 6,840 acres as of 12:45 p.m., Larimer County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Kate Kimble said. Containment was listed at 0%, with 270 personnel working the fire, the U.S. Forest Service incident command team reported.

The fire was first reported Monday morning, in an area near Alexander Mountain just north of the mouth of Big Thompson Canyon.

U.S. Highway 34 through the canyon to the Dam Road in Estes Park remained closed. The fire had not crossed to the south of Highway 34, incident commander Mike Smith said.

Fire crews lit backfires, burning vegetation ahead of the fire’s advance, in an effort to protect structures at Sylvan Dale Ranch just east of the fire’s perimeter. The ranch is serving as a staging area for fire officials and fire crews.

New evacuations were ordered to the north and west of the fire, and a map of evacuation zones on NOCOAlert.org included an expanded fire perimeter that extended into roads with residences along the western edge. Sheriff John Feyen and Kimble said they could not confirm the location of the fire perimeter in that area.

A mandatory evacuation order was issued at 1:23 p.m. for the area of Dunraven Glade, along Larimer County Road 43, including Streamside Drive and Dunraven Glade Road. The evacuation area extended north past Miller Fork Road and Dunraven Trailhead. That area had previously been under a voluntary evacuation order.

A new voluntary evacuation order was issued three hours later, at 4:24 p.m., for the community of Glen Haven and areas west toward Dark Mountain.

— Kelly Lyell

Crews focus Wednesday on stopping the fire from jumping U.S. 34

Crews supporting the Alexander Mountain Fire focused on preventing the fire from spreading south and damaging structures while air resources were shared with other Front Range fires Wednesday.

The Alexander Mountain Fire and two others that recently ignited on the Front Range — the Stone Canyon Fire near Lyons and the Quarry Fire south of Denver — shared aircraft resources Wednesday, which included two helicopters sent from Wyoming, Gov. Jared Polis said during a Wednesday news conference at Loveland Fire Station 7.

“These resources are nimble, they move where they are needed most,” Polis said.

Other resources added to support the Alexander Mountain Fire on Wednesday included Polis’s activation of the Colorado National Guard to assist in the response. It was also announced that FEMA funding will support 75% of the cost of the Alexander Mountain and Stone Canyon fires, with the hope that federal funds will eventually fully cover those costs, Rep. Joe Neguse said.

“As the governor said, it’s going to be a journey,” Neguse said of fighting these wildfires. “It may very well take weeks, perhaps months. We will follow the direction of law enforcement and our fire officials on that. What I would simply say is that I have no doubt Coloradans will continue to step up and help their neighbors in need, and the federal government will certainly do its part.”

The Alexander Mountain Fire had grown to just under 7,000 acres and was 0% contained as of Wednesday afternoon.

About 4,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders and another 800 were under voluntary evacuation orders midday Wednesday, Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen said. Winds were pushing the fire up towards Palisade Mountain in the afternoon, and additional voluntary evacuations were ordered for the area north of Estes Park later in the day.

No structures had been lost as of Wednesday afternoon, and no fatalities or injuries had been reported, Feyen said.

Dry, hot and windy conditions persisted Wednesday. Incident Commander Mike Smith said their biggest concerns over the next few days include protecting the communities of Cedar Park and watching for the possibility of the fire jumping over U.S. Highway 34.

“We have folks actively engaging, trying to do what they can, but we know that it’s going to be a tough couple of days for us,” Smith said.

Crews are watching the other side of U.S. 34 through binoculars and the use of aircrafts “to make sure that if we do have a fire that spots across the river, that we’re ready to jump on that,” Smith said.

“The last thing we want this thing to do is jump across and start marching in that direction,” Smith said. “We will continue to make all efforts to keep the fire footprint as small as we can, but with the forecast we have we’ll focus on doing the best that we can.”

On Thursday, the management of the Alexander Mountain Fire will be transferred to the National Complex Incident Management Team, which will provide additional firefighting resources, Polis said. This team will also take over management of the Stone Canyon Fire.

— Sady Swanson

Fighting Alexander Mountain Fire ‘will go on for weeks, maybe a matter of months’

State officials warned of a likely long fight against the Alexander Mountain Fire and other fires now burning along the Front Range during a news conference Wednesday.

“This is likely to be a several week event, even potentially a month or two, just as the last fires of 2020 were,” Gov. Jared Polis said during a Wednesday news conference at Loveland Fire Station 7.

The state is now stretching its resources across several active fires from the Front Range to the Western Slope, Colorado Public Safety Director Stan Hilkey said, and he said fighting these fires “will go on for weeks, maybe a matter of months.”

It’s typical for Colorado fire departments to send firefighters to other states to assist in large-scale fires out of state, and fire departments from other states do the same when Colorado needs support, like in 2020 when the Colorado had three of the state’s five largest fires in history, “and we couldn’t have gotten through 2020 without that kind of help,” Hilkey said.

This year, Colorado fire departments have lent firefighters to other states, including Oregon and Washington, to assist in large wildfires there. But with the hot and dry weather ahead for the rest of the summer, and understanding that crews will be battling these fires in Colorado for weeks, he advised local departments bring any firefighters they’ve deployed elsewhere back to Colorado.

“I call upon the chiefs of fire departments in our state to think about bringing those assets back when it's most practical for them, because the state of Colorado needs those resources as well, and we want to make sure that we're able to deploy all those resources effectively and efficiently,” Hilkey said.

He said the state isn’t feeling significant impacts of this at the moment, but “I do get a little bit worried about our long haul and our ability to staff these fires in a long-term way.”

“We support that noble mission of helping our partners because our partners help us when we need it,” Hilkey said. “But I also think that as opportunity arises, and with the weather patterns we’re going to have the rest of the summer, I’d feel a lot more comfortable if we had some of those resources back in the states to help us in the long-term.”

— Sady Swanson

Larimer County enacts new fire restrictions

New fire restrictions for unincorporated areas of Larimer County were adopted and put in place immediately late Wednesday afternoon, banning all open fires and smoking in the open outdoors.

The restrictions, approved by a 3-0 vote of the county commissioners, will remain in effect through 8 a.m. Aug. 31, the county said in a news release.

All open fires, including campfires and cooking fires, are now banned.

Also prohibited is smoking in the open, including on trails and in parks and open spaces. Fireworks and firework displays also are prohibited, along with welding and all incendiary devices, including sky lanterns, exploding ammunition, exploding targets and tracer ammunition.

Gas-fueled fires, including grills and cooking stoves, are still permitted, as are fireplaces and wood stoves located inside a residence.

Violators are subject to fines, the news release said.

— Kelly Lyell

Voluntary evacuation order issued for Glen Haven, west to Drake Mountain

A voluntary evacuation order for the Alexander Mountain Fire was issued about 4:25 p.m. Wednesday for the community of Glen Haven west toward Dark Mountain. The notice was shared by the Larimer Emergency Alert System.

Residents in Glen Haven and the surrounding area and areas west toward Drake Mountain should “gather essential items and prepare for evacuation,” the notice read.

The fire, mapped at about 6,800 acres Wednesday morning, has been growing to the north and west, fire officials said at a morning news conference.

The nearest evacuation center for residents in that area who have been displaced by the fire is the Event Center in Estes Park, 1125 Rooftop Way.

— Kelly Lyell

PVREA de-energizing power lines near Glen Haven

Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association is de-energizing the power lines for Cedar Park and Glen Haven, the power provider posted on X.com after 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.

This will affect 300 customers, it said, and there's no estimated time for when power will be restored.

— Rebecca Powell

Fire size is around 6,800 acress

The Alexander Mountain Fire is now 6,781 acres, according to incident commander Mike Smith. An estimate from Inciweb records it at 6,840 acres

— Rebecca Powell

New mandatory evacuation announced

Voluntary evacuations on the far northwest edge of the Alexander Mountain Fire evacuation areas have now become mandatory.

This is the area of Dunraven Glade, along County Road 43, which includes Streamside Drive and Dunraven Glade Road. It extends north past Miller Ford Road and Dunraven Trailhead, according to Larimer Emergency Telephone Alert.

— Rebecca Powell

FEMA approves disaster assistance for Colorado wildfires

FEMA has authorized funding for the Alexander Mountain Fire in Larimer County and the Stone Canyon Fire in Boulder County, it announced Wednesday, determining that "the fires threatened such destruction that it would constitute a major disaster."

The Fire Management Assistance Grant will cover up to 75% of of the state’s eligible firefighting costs.

These grants are not for individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage.

— Rebecca Powell

Roosevelt National Forest closes area

Part of the Roosevelt National Forest has been closed due to the Alexander Mountain Fire: starting at U.S. Highway 34, 8.5 miles west of Loveland.

A map is available here.

The following National Forest System roads are closed: 295.0 (Franz), 128.0 (Cedar Park), 153.D (Storm Mountain Branch D), and 348.0 (Spruce Mountain Loop). Trails that are closed include the Round Mountain Trail (969) and Round Mountain Nature Trail (969.1).

— Rebecca Powell

Alexander Mountain Fire spreads west, crosses ridge to the east

The Alexander Mountain Fire grew to the north, east and west Tuesday, incident commander Mike Smith said in a Wednesday morning Facebook update posted by the National Forest Service.

The good news is that the on the north, the Bobcat Ridge and Cameron Peak fire burn scars will help firefighting efforts, Smith said.

On the east side, the fire crossed over a ridge, where six homes have been protected, he said. Crews used tactical firefighting in front of Sylvan Dale Ranch, starting fires on the ground in order to eliminate fuels.

Smith said to the west is a tough place to fight fire.

"It's one way in and one way out," Smith said.

Crews have been working on structure protection to give them the best chance possible to survive any fire.

The fire is also moving down Big Thompson canyon, but there's not a lot of fuel there, Smith said. However, a shift in wind from the north on Tuesday means crews are keeping a close eye to see if any spot fires ignite on south side of U.S. Highway 34.

When smoke lifts, the team can begin using its aviation assets, Smith said.

— Rebecca Powell

County behavioral health facility opts to evacuate

Citing an abundance of caution, SummitStone Health Partners has evacuated its Longview Acute Care Facility on West Trilby Road.

"We believe this is in the best interest of our clients to continue their care," a Facebook post reads.

Temporary behavioral health acute care services are still available, including urgent care evaluation, crisis beds and withdrawal management (detox) beds.

People can access behavioral health urgent care via:

• SummitStone Mobile Team, 970-494-4200, ext. 4
• Statewide crisis line, 844-493-8255
• SummitStone, 1217 Riverside Ave., Fort Collins

— Rebecca Powell

Air quality could reach unhealthy levels

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued an air quality health advisory for Fort Collins, Loveland and the surrounding areas as the Alexander Mountain wildfire continues to burn west of Loveland.

If you can see or smell smoke, the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment recommends you avoid time outdoors and reduce physical activity, both inside and outside.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment warns that ozone and fine particulate matter levels might reach unhealthy levels Wednesday.

You can find current conditions here.

Get tips for staying safe here.

— Sady Swanson and Rebecca Powell

Don't forget about these major closures due to wildfires

• Horsetooth Reservoir is closed to boating and all water recreation to assist with firefighting operation water refills.
• Carter Lake is closed to all boating and water recreation.
• Pinewood Reservoir is in the evacuation zone.
• Flatiron Reservoir is in the evacuation zone.
• Devil's Backbone and Blue Sky Trial are closed.
• The road to and from Estes Park is closed: Westbound U.S. 34 is closed starting at Larimer County Road 27, west of Loveland. Eastbound U.S. 34 is closed starting at Mall Road in Estes Park.
• Three north-south roads are closed north of U.S. Highway 34: Glade Road, Buckhorn Road and County Road 29.
• Pole Hill Road is closed west of Larimer County Road 29.

— Rebecca Powell

Firefighters focus on protecting these communities from Alexander Mountain Fire

No loss of structures has been reported from the Alexander Mountain Fire, according to a morning update from the U.S. Forest Service.

On Wednesday, firefighters will focus on protecting the communities of Cedar Cove, Cedar Park, Storm Mountain, Sylvan Dale Ranch, and eastern communities, the update said. The post reiterated that firefighters will act when it's safe to do so.

Crews are also working to keep the fire north of U.S. Highway 34.

The fire was active overnight, but there has been no mapping since Tuesday evening. Fire activity is expected to increase Wednesday as temperatures rise. Winds are forecast to be out of the northeast.

Aircraft will again be used to fight the fire Wednesday, the forest service said.

— Rebecca Powell

Tip line open for Alexander Mountain Fire investigation

Anyone with information about the cause and origin of the Alexander Mountain Fire can call the Forest Service Law Enforcement Tip Line at (303) 275-5266.

Photographs and videos can be submitted via https://fs.us.evidence.com/.../commu.../public/amountainfire.

— Rebecca Powell

3 wildfires now burning on Colorado's Front Range

A third wildfire has broken out on the Front Range, in Jefferson County.

The Quarry Fire is burning in a populated and steep area in the southern part of the county. There have been evacuations, and the fire grew to 100 acres overnight.

The Stone Canyon Fire is still burning in Boulder County, just south of the Larimer County line. It was burning more than 1,300 acres as of Tuesday night.

— Rebecca Powell

Polis, Neguse to visit Alexander fire responders

Gov. Jared Polis and Rep. Joe Neguse will meet with public safety leaders and frontline responders in Loveland on Wednesday to discuss state support and wildfire mitigation efforts, according to a news release from the governor's office.

They'll travel to Loveland Fire Station 7 on Wednesday afternoon to meet with Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen, Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson and others.

— Rebecca Powell

High of 92 and light winds expected over fire

Believe it or not, a weak cold front is forecast for Wednesday morning, lowering temperatures by 3 to 4 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

In Drake, near the fire, the high temperature is forecast to be 92 degrees. Winds are expected to be light over the fire, the NWS said in a Wednesday morning post on X.com.

— Rebecca Powell

Firefighters to focus on U.S. 34 corridor, fire's northwest perimeter

Firefighting efforts Wednesday will focus on the U.S. Highway 34 corridor and the fire's northwest perimeter, which was just east of Glen Haven as of Tuesday night.

Hotshot crews and multiple other resources will be arriving Wednesday to assist with firefighting operations. A Complex Incident Management Team will assume control of the fire Thursday, according to a Tuesday night news release.

Dry fuels, high temperatures and low humidity made firefighting difficult Tuesday, and those conditions are expected to continue through the week, with a slight chance of rain over the weekend.

— Sady Swanson

Alexander Mountain Fire evacuation map

The evacuation map on nocoalert.org will be updated as evacuation orders change. Evacuation centers are also listed on the map.

— Sarah Kyle

Alexander Mountain Fire fast-growing, 'impinging' on structures Tuesday

The Alexander Mountain Fire grew from just under 1,000 acres to more than 5,000 acres Tuesday, prompting authorities to order more mandatory evacuations, including north of Carter Lake to U.S. Highway 34, west in Drake and south toward Lyons.

Mandatory evacuations for this fire overlapped with another evacuation area for the Stone Canyon Fire, which started Tuesday afternoon north of Lyons. The Stone Canyon Fire measured 450 acres Tuesday night and forced evacuations north of Lyons and some within the town itself.

The Alexander Mountain Fire was “impinging” on residential structures Tuesday, Sheriff John Feyen said in an afternoon news conference, but it’s unknown whether those structures have actually caught on fire.

The fire saw growth in three directions Tuesday: west, north and east.

— Sady Swanson and Rebecca Powell