Wildfire Puts City Of Boulder On Pre-Evacuation Orders

BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - Firefighters have been battling a wildfire that has forced evacuations in the foothills of southern Boulder County and put the city of Boulder on pre-evacuation orders

The fire is burning near Bison Drive east of Walker Ranch where 26 evacuation notices have been sent out that includes the Pine Needle Notch subdivision.

Pre-evacuation notices have been sent to 2,416 City of Boulder phone numbers. That includes the area from Table Mesa east to Broadway and north to Dartmouth.

PHOTO GALLERY: Flagstaff Fire

That also includes the Table Mesa subdivision as well as the Shanahan Ridge neighborhood.

East Boulder Community Center has been set up as an evacuation center. It's located at 5660 Sioux Drive. Residents are advised to take vital records, proof of residency and any pets with them.

"Structure protection and public safety are always going to be our first priority," Boulder spokeswoman Kim Kobel said. "This fire has moved very fast since it began."

Officials said the fire started out at about six acres and quickly grew to about 200 to 300 acres. The terrain was making it difficult for firefighters to stay ahead of the fire.

As of 10:30 p.m. no structures have been lost.

Flagstaff Road is being used for transport of firefighting equipment. Public access will be restricted or closed along the road until further notice.

A call center has been set up for residents to get information about evacuations, road closures, and animal care -- (303) 413-7730.

The Boulder Valley Humane Society was taking in small animals.

Smoke can be seen all the way from Denver.

A helicopter and C-130 tanker have been working the fire. Kobel said they arrived within 30 minutes of the start of the fire. A Type 1 federal incident management team has been ordered.

All open space and recreational areas from Eldorado Springs to Boulder Canyon are closed until further notice. The National Center for Atmospheric Research has voluntarily evacuated.

Wildfire Resources

- Visit CBSDenver.com's Wildfire Resources section.

- Read recent Wildfire stories.

Wildfire Photo Galleries

- See images from the most destructive wildfires (High Park Fire and Fourmile Fire) and largest wildfire (Hayman Fire) in Colorado history.