Some mandatory evacuations lifted in northern Colorado wildfire

LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — Some mandatory evacuations for the Pearl Fire burning in Larimer County were changed to voluntary evacuations on Tuesday afternoon.

The U.S. Forest Service on Tuesday morning took over command of the Pearl Fire, which has burned about 138 acres with no containment. The wildfire was first reported just after 11 a.m. Monday in the Crystal Lakes area about five miles northwest of Red Feather Lakes.

The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office said the fire originated on private property, and was human caused. No other information about the cause was immediately available. 

On Tuesday morning, a U.S. Forest Service spokesman said the fire didn’t grow overnight. There are 75 firefighters working on the ground, first focusing efforts on the eastern side of the fire in order to protect homes in that direction. The spokesman said air support on Monday put down a line of retardant around most of the fire.

On Tuesday afternoon, mandatory evacuations were changed to voluntary evacuations for residents north of County Road 80C to the state line.

• 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. 

Residents are being told to evacuate immediately.

• The area of Lake Erie and Mitchell Ditch.
• North of Black Mountain to the Wyoming state line.

An area of Wyoming directly across the state line was 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.