PAGOSA SPRINGS, Colo. — Gov. Jared Polis has verbally declared a disaster emergency and authorized the Colorado National Guard to help fight the Oak Fire burning west of Pagosa Springs.
The Oak Fire, which apparently began as a structure fire on Oak Drive north of Highway 160, had burned approximately 75 acres as of late Sunday night.
The blaze prompted mandatory evacuations in the Elk Park subdivision and put a wide swatch of the surrounding area under pre-evacuation notice Sunday afternoon.
The areas that were under mandatory evacuation orders were not accessible late Sunday, according to the Archuleta County Sheriff's Office.
"The incident escalated rapidly, exceeding local Fire Department and County capacity, and the Sheriff requested that the Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) approve the incident as a State Responsibility fire," read a press bulletin from the governor's office Sunday evening.
A disaster declaration frees up state and federal resources to help with the response to the fire.
According to the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office, a structure fire broke out early Sunday afternoon on Oak Drive. An evacuation order was issued shortly thereafter for an "out of control" wildfire.
Pagosa Springs High School was being used as a shelter for those affected by the evacuation order. The Archuleta County fairgrounds were made available for impacted livestock.
An emergency call center was set up for fire information at 970-422-7084.
The La Plata Electric Association said about 192 people were without power Sunday evening after it began shutting off power in the area to protect "critical electrical infrastructure."
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