Volunteer Firefighters Were Among The First To Battle High Park Fire

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) - One of the first fire departments to get involved in fighting the High Park Fire was the volunteer Rist Canyon Fire Department.

Ed Brown, who sits on the board of directors, told CBS4 by phone Monday morning that it's been the job of those firefighters to protect people and property, while their own homes are in danger.

On Monday Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith said many of the structures that have burned in the fire have been in the Rist Canyon area, but it's not clear how many homes have been destroyed.

"Our fire department is very prompt and very experienced as far as mountain fires go and they have done a real good job," Brown said.

There are approximately 400 personnel battling the High Park Fire, which is one of the largest in state history. Like with many wildfires, the ash and smoke in the air has made it hard at times for firefighters on the fire lines to breathe.

"The ashes and the smoke have been really heavy around Fort Collins and Loveland," Brown said.

Brown is one of the hundreds who remains evacuated from his home.

"On Saturday when the fire broke out we were at our home property watching the fire two miles away," he said. "It got started and just got progressivley worse as the day went on and around 4:30 p.m. or 5 p.m. they evacuated us."