Concerned Residents Watch From Afar As Wildfire Burns 400 Acres
LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - Nearly 400 acres of land burned southeast of Fort Collins on Saturday.
The Spring Glade Fire started before noon, with an unknown cause. Nearby residents watched as the fire slowly grew from its original size of 25 acres.
"We actually saw it from our neighborhood. We live in the next neighborhood over," said Mike Tressler, a Fort Collins resident.
As air support helped attack the blaze, more than 11 agencies from surrounding jurisdictions responded on the ground. Crews from Estes Park joined teams from as far as Kersey to respond.
PHOTO GALLERY: Spring Glade Fire
As crews worked to contain the blaze, many watched from afar.
"I just watched it smolder, and watched it creep on down the hill," said Barb Oleson, a longtime Fort Collins resident.
Some said the air support was interesting to watch. However, they believed it was not at a quick enough rate to stop the blaze in its tracks.
"[The fire] keeps breaking through every time they drop water or slurry on it," Tressler said. "It is a little worrisome as it continues to spread east."
"I'm worried about it. Like, do we have to pack up our stuff?" Sonia Tressler said.
The American Red Cross responded, establishing an evacuation center. The Larimer County Sheriff's Office said nobody from the public had used the center. Mandatory evacuations were limited.
"The Stout area was mandatory evacuation, the Rim Rock [notice] was voluntary," said David Moore, spokesman for the sheriff's office.
As the fire burned into Saturday night, crews estimated it to be larger than 360 acres. Containment was listed at 60 percent heading into the night.
"We need a good rain. Pray for rain," Oleson said.
Wildfire Resources
- Visit CBSDenver.com's Living With Wildfire section.
Wildfire Photo Galleries
- See images from the most destructive wildfires (Black Forest, Waldo Canyon, High Park and Fourmile), the deadliest (Storm King) and largest wildfire (Hayman) in Colorado history.
Dillon Thomas is a reporter at CBS4 and a Colorado native. He believes everyone has a story, and would love to share yours! You can find more of his stories by following him on Twitter, @DillonMThomas.
