© 2024
NPR for Northern Colorado
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

High Park Fire Crews Make Progress, Fire 75% Contained [Updated]

More than 1,800 personnel are making good progress on the High Park Fire.

Update 7:50 pm

Officials increased containment of the High Park Fire from 65 to 75 percent today. The estimated containment date has been moved up to July 15th from the 30th. The current cost of the fire to date is estimated at $33.5 million dollars. 

The total number of homes destroyed remains at 257.

Update 4:50 pm

Officials have announced the reopening of the Red Feather Lakes Road (CR74E) at 5 pm today. All of the Glacier View subdivisions except the 12th filing will be reopened to residents. This includes North Rim Road and Kelly Flats. The Deer Meadow and Hewlett Gulch areas are also included. 

Update 1:30 p.m.

Fire officials opened Hwy 14 for residents only from Missile Silo Road to Mishiwaka. No special passes are required, but residents should be ready to show identification containing their address at checkpoints and roadblocks.

Fire officials opened Stove Prairie Road (CR27) for residents only from Stringtown Gulch Road to Buckhorn Road (CR44H). This includes Redtail Ridge, Moondance Way, Vortex Drive, Hawk Valley Drive, Patience Way, Ohana Way and Lightning Ridge.

Residents will not be able to access properties from Buckhorn Road (CR44H) or from Stove Prairie Road (CR27) north of Buckhorn Road at this time.

Update 11:40 am

A new public information map is available for the High Park Fire, we've updated the lead image above with it. Click on the picture to enlarge or download a hi-res version.

--

During a Wednesday morning briefing, Incident Commander Beth Lund said the fire is sharing resources with the Flagstaff and Waldo Canyon fires: 8 aircraft, 10 engines and 1 hotshot crew. That still leaves about 1,800 personnel working to put out the High Park Fire, which is currently 87,284 acres and 65 percent contained.

“We feel very secure about what we still got on the fire,” she said. “We will continue to be vigilant here and keep resources that we need to fulfill our obligation to suppress this fire.”

Meantime, Nick Christensen with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office made several announcements that will get the majority of evacuees home within the next 48hrs:

  • Residents in the Rist Canyon Area could be allowed back into the area as soon as Thursday morning. Credentials are being given out at Cache La Poudre Middle School starting at 5 p.m.
  • County Road 27 will be opened from Stringtown area to Buckhorn Road.
  • Glacier View area is being evaluated for reoccupation, possibly within the next 24 hours.
Related Content