The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office has announced what started a wildfire that forced evacuations on Monday afternoon.
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The Sedona Hills Fire ignited sometime around 3:00 p.m. north of Carter Lake. Nearby residents were evacuated as multiple first responders headed to the scene.
According to a recent press release, the fire was started by a person living in the area who accidentally sparked it during yard work.
As the fire spread, the sheriff’s office was joined by the Berthoud Fire Protection District, Loveland Fire Authority, Larimer County Rangers, Larimer County Posse, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control, Windsor-Severance Fire Rescue, Front Range Fire Rescue, Poudre Fire Authority, U.S. Forest Service Roosevelt Hotshots, and Thompson Valley EMS. Aircraft were also brought in to handle the flames as crews worked to build containment lines. A few hours later, the fire was contained. Crews remained overnight into Tuesday morning, dealing with hotspots.
In the end, a total of 12.2 acres burned. No homes were damaged.
Law enforcement says the person who started the fire remained on scene and cooperated with officials. In the end, that person will not face charges because their actions did not violate current fire restrictions in the county.
Current restrictions are in place now through at least May 26. They include:
Banned:
- Contained Open Fires. This includes open fire in a permanently constructed, stationary masonry or metal fireplaces specifically designed for the purpose of combustion.
- Uncontained Open Fires, including outdoor charcoal, pellet, and wood stoves/grills.
- Smoking in the open is not allowed, including on trails, parks and open spaces.
- Combustible devices.
- Operating or using any device with an internal or external combustion engine without a spark arrest device properly installed and in effective order.
Allowed:
- Fireplaces or wood stoves located inside a residence
- Gas or liquid fueled fires, including grills and camping stoves
- Open burning (official forest management purposes)
- Execution of authorized burn permits
Despite these restrictions, local authorities are asking people to be extra vigilant while the state remains in a drought.
“Last week’s snow was great, but it wasn’t enough to reverse months of dry weather,” said Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen in the press release. “I can’t emphasize this enough – a single spark can cause a wildfire. We all have to do our part.”
Stay up to date with current fire issues with the KUNC Wildfire Resources page.
