Hayden Pass Fire Keeps Growing, Now Estimated At 12,000 Acres

FREMONT COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - A wildfire burning southwest of Coaldale has grown significantly to approximately 12,000 acres and closed Highway 50 in the Coaldale area.

The Hayden Pass wildfire started burning on the San Isabel National Forest and has progressed onto the Rio Grande National Forest, primarily located in the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness.

There are 20 homes threatened by the fire and evacuations have been ordered for the Fox Creek subdivision. So far no homes have burned.

The U.S. Forest Service's Hayden Creek and Coaldale Campgrounds, along with Cutty's Hayden Creek Resort, have also been evacuated.

The fire has closed Highway 50 in the Coaldale are along with Fremont CR 6 west of Highway 50.

There is zero containment on the fire which is burning in mixed conifer and heavy dead and down fuels.

There are 100 firefighters on the ground along with Forest Service crews battling the fire that began on Friday with a lightning strike. The fire erupted about 2 p.m. Sunday.

"It's heartbreaking; a lot of memories that are just going up in smoke," said area resident Sky Nelson.

Nelson went to the evacuation center wanting to help her neighbors already forced out by the flames racing their way.

"Everybody around here has been here for years 45 years … it's sad to see all these families might be losing their whole lifestyle," she said.

Nelson and her family are not taking chances and are preparing to leave just in case.

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