Fire forcing evacuations in Larimer County was human-caused, sheriff’s office says

LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office issued mandatory evacuations for a new wildfire, called the Pearl Fire, that sparked Monday morning near Crystal Lakes.

The fire was first reported just after 11 a.m. Monday in the Crystal Lakes area about five miles northwest of Red Feather Lakes. It has burned an estimated 138 acres as of Monday evening, with no containment. 

The sheriff’s office said the fire originated on private property, and was human caused. No other information about the cause was immediately available. 

• Crystal Lakes, south of Black Mountain and north of Lake Erie.
• Nearly to Highway 14 (Poudre Canyon Road) on the south side of Black Mountain, and west toward County Road 103. 
• North of Black Mountain to the Wyoming state line.

Residents are being told to evacuate immediately.

• The area of Lake Erie and Mitchell Ditch.

An area of Wyoming directly across the state line is also under voluntary evacuation status: from the state line to Sportsman Lake Road on the north, Ashby Loop on the west and Highway 287 on the east.

Residents in voluntary evacuation zones are told to gather their belongings and prepare to leave.

The Larimer County evacuation map is below:

An overnight evacuation center has been set up at Cache la Poudre Middle School at 3515 County Road 54G, Laporte. 

For small animal sheltering needs, contact NOCO Humane at 970-226-3647. 

A large animal evacuation center is open at The Ranch in Loveland, 5280 Arena Circle.

For more information on evacuations and community resources, call the Joint Information Center at 970-980-2500.