LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — Firefighters are responding to a fire that sparked Thursday afternoon five miles northeast of Ted's Place, prompting evacuations, according to the local authorities.
On Thursday, the Larimer County Sheriff's Office said the fire is southwest of the intersection of County Road 66 and County Road 21, on the southwest side of North Poudre Reservoir No. 1. The fire calmed down overnight into Friday, and did not grow in size, the sheriff's office said.
Fire officials originally estimated the fire was roughly 600 acres. Thanks to better mapping, officials determined the fire is 212 acres and 75% contained as of Saturday morning.
On Thursday afternoon, the sheriff's office ordered evacuations for the area east of Highway 287, south to Arapaho Valley Road, east to County Road 21 and north to County Road 66. Around 9:30 p.m., the sheriff's office downgraded evacuations for two area. Those living in the area between County Road 66, south along County Road 21 to County Road 56 and west to County Road 21C have been downgraded to voluntary evacuations. On Friday morning, evacuations were downgraded to voluntary for residents living in the area south of County Road 66 to Highway 287, west of County Road 21C, and east of Highway 287.
By Friday evening, all evacuations were lifted.
An overnight evacuation site has been set up at the Leeper Center, located at 3800 Wilson Street in Wellington. Sixty homes have been evacuated, but no structures were lost as of Thursday evening.
The Ranch is available to shelter large animals. Evacuees should head to the north entrance and call the sheriff's office's non-emergency number at 970-416-1985.
Sixty personnel from various agencies are working on the fire.
For updates, check LCEVAC to 888777.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
