Wildfire Threatens Larimer County Homes
Buckhorn Creek Fire Now Estimated At 125 Acres
POSTED: 4:00 p.m. MST November 11, 2003
UPDATED: 10:24 p.m. MST November 11, 2003
MASONVILLE, Colo. -- High winds fanned a growing wildfire in Larimer County, forcing several subdivisions southwest of Fort Collins to evacuate Tuesday afternoon.
The blaze (pictured, left), named the Buckhorn Creek Fire, broke out in the Buckskin Heights neighborhood around 1 p.m. The wildfire, which started amidst dry brush and grass and then fueled by dry timber, was estimated at 125 acres by nightfall, officials said.
Authorities believe that the blaze was intentionally set because there was no lightning in the area at the time of the fire. The fire started in several areas and authorities were looking for the driver of a silver sport utility vehicle, possibly a Jeep Cherokee, 7NEWS reported.
Larimer County officials ordered the evacuation of 63 homes in Buckskin Heights by going door-to-door and using the reverse-911 system to make phone calls, Larimer County sheriff's dispatcher Diane Webber said. The evacuations were a precaution, Larimer County sheriff's spokeswoman Eloise Campanella said. An evacuation center was set up at the Big Thompson Elementary school in Loveland, Colo., southeast of the fire.
Larimer County road 27, also known as Buckhorn Canyon, is closed from Masonville to Stove Prairie because of the fire. Click here to see a map of the fire location.
Firefighters were making no effort to battle the blaze because it was too dangerous, given the high winds. Instead, they focused on protecting the 10 homes that were threatened by making fire breaks. Thirty-five firefighters and seven fire engines were assigned to the fire but more crews were being ordered. Local fire officials requested four 20-person crews, three Type-3 engines, four Type-6 engines, and two water tenders for Wednesday. A water-dropping helicopter may also help out, depending on Wednesday's weather conditions, officials said.
The area being devoured by the blaze is in steep, inaccessible terrain, the Larimer County Sheriff's Department said.
Winds in the area were gusting to 70 mph on the ridge tops earlier in the afternoon, but lessened considerably with sundown. After dark, no main "body" of the fire was apparent from Airtracker 7. The fire consisted of many small hot spots instead, 7NEWS reported.
No injuries and no damage has been reported.
Two weeks ago, wind-fed fires raced across foothills northwest
of Boulder and south of Denver. More than a dozen homes near tiny
Jamestown, Colo., were burned, and ash from that fire was stirred up by Tuesday's wind.
Farther south, semi-tractor trailers and other high-profile
vehicles were advised to stay off the highway linking Boulder and
Golden because of high wind. And in the mountains, snow made
driving hazardous on Vail and Loveland passes.
Send Your Digital Pics.
The blaze (pictured, left), named the Buckhorn Creek Fire, broke out in the Buckskin Heights neighborhood around 1 p.m. The wildfire, which started amidst dry brush and grass and then fueled by dry timber, was estimated at 125 acres by nightfall, officials said.
Authorities believe that the blaze was intentionally set because there was no lightning in the area at the time of the fire. The fire started in several areas and authorities were looking for the driver of a silver sport utility vehicle, possibly a Jeep Cherokee, 7NEWS reported.
Larimer County officials ordered the evacuation of 63 homes in Buckskin Heights by going door-to-door and using the reverse-911 system to make phone calls, Larimer County sheriff's dispatcher Diane Webber said. The evacuations were a precaution, Larimer County sheriff's spokeswoman Eloise Campanella said. An evacuation center was set up at the Big Thompson Elementary school in Loveland, Colo., southeast of the fire.
Larimer County road 27, also known as Buckhorn Canyon, is closed from Masonville to Stove Prairie because of the fire. Click here to see a map of the fire location.
Firefighters were making no effort to battle the blaze because it was too dangerous, given the high winds. Instead, they focused on protecting the 10 homes that were threatened by making fire breaks. Thirty-five firefighters and seven fire engines were assigned to the fire but more crews were being ordered. Local fire officials requested four 20-person crews, three Type-3 engines, four Type-6 engines, and two water tenders for Wednesday. A water-dropping helicopter may also help out, depending on Wednesday's weather conditions, officials said.
The area being devoured by the blaze is in steep, inaccessible terrain, the Larimer County Sheriff's Department said.
Winds in the area were gusting to 70 mph on the ridge tops earlier in the afternoon, but lessened considerably with sundown. After dark, no main "body" of the fire was apparent from Airtracker 7. The fire consisted of many small hot spots instead, 7NEWS reported.
No injuries and no damage has been reported.
Two weeks ago, wind-fed fires raced across foothills northwest
of Boulder and south of Denver. More than a dozen homes near tiny
Jamestown, Colo., were burned, and ash from that fire was stirred up by Tuesday's wind.
Farther south, semi-tractor trailers and other high-profile
vehicles were advised to stay off the highway linking Boulder and
Golden because of high wind. And in the mountains, snow made
driving hazardous on Vail and Loveland passes.
Send Your Digital Pics.
Copyright 2003 by TheDenverChannel.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
