Highland Lakes Fire Updates: Airdrops Expected Tuesday | Fire

DIVIDE – A horrific man-made fire that broke out Monday afternoon at a home in the middle of a residential neighborhood in Divide and quickly spread to the point where firefighters were suppressing the flames from the back of the homes was set off by water dripping downwind Tuesday morning shot down from the air During the day, gusts of more than 50 miles per hour began.

Teller County officials announced at 1 p.m. Tuesday that containment of the Highland Lakes fire had reached 15%, after reaching 5% containment overnight. The burned area grew from nearly 100 acres to 166 acres Tuesday afternoon, which Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said was primarily due to firefighting efforts to cut a fire line.

About 150 firefighters from numerous agencies were on scene Tuesday, using hand tools, bulldozers and road graders. Mikesell described the extensive and rapid response in attempting to erect a barrier as “aggressive.” Many worked through the night to slow the fire's progress, the sheriff said, while air tankers moved in in the form of clouds Monday evening and some rain also helped dampen the flames.

“You’re saving your homes,” Mikesell said during a news conference Monday night.

Nearly 700 homes valued at $300 million remain under threat, Mikesell said Tuesday, leading to the evacuation of more than 2,000 people. Another 650 houses are still in pre-evacuation order, which corresponds to about the same value.

“There’s a lot of risk here,” he said. “It’s a dangerous fire and we’re treating it as such.”

A home was destroyed, believed to be where the fire started, but because the cause is under investigation and criminal charges, including arson, are pending, Mikesell said the address will not be released. However, it is located in the Highland Lakes subdivision.

The fire broke out less than a mile from Belinda Binette's home. She was driving home Monday when she learned her neighborhood was being evacuated. She and her roommate grabbed their two cats, important papers and treasures like musical flutes and jewelry, started their RV and vehicles and headed to the Woodland Park Community Church evacuation center.

About 10 people spent the night inside and more outside in their vehicles, an American Red Cross official told the task force.

“It was pretty scary,” Binette said Tuesday. “The smoke was so thick that you could see the firefighters at work. It was real. We became physically ill from the stress.”

No other buildings were damaged, Mikesell said, and no other people were injured. Some were being treated for smoke inhalation Monday, he said, and usually they were firefighters.

“In residential areas, homes are fairly close together, and if the fuel ignites, it can spread quickly,” the sheriff said, adding that the area’s wildland task force was immediately called in.

Tuesday's answer, weather

“It worries me because of the environment; “This fire is aggressive, it is difficult to fight because of the cold,” Mikesell said Monday evening.

Additionally, a red flag warning is in effect, meaning fire conditions are extreme. Additionally, Teller County implemented a Level 3 burn ban on Monday, banning all outdoor burning, including smoking cigarettes.

There were sustained winds of 20 mph on Monday; The forecast for Tuesday calls for winds of up to 50 mph to accompany the dry conditions, Mikesell said.

“That’s what I’m worried about,” he said. “We’re going to hit this extremely hard.”

Evacuations

Traffic on roads outside Divide was “bumper to bumper” Monday evening as evacuees rushed to leave the rural area, where there is often only one road in and one road out.

Some evacuees were escorted back to their homes on Tuesday to pick up necessary items they left behind when they left their homes on Monday, such as medicine.

Residents who require this should call 719-687-9652 to arrange an escort.

According to the sheriff's office, a strip was cut out of the evacuation area to allow licensed hunters to hunt on the land. And the strict ban on fire does not apply to hunters.

Typically, hunting doesn't cause fires, he said at a briefing Tuesday at 1 p.m. “We didn’t want hunters who hunt legally to be cut off from something they paid for,” he said, “so we allow hunting in the backcountry of Teller County.”

Animals large and small will be temporarily housed at the Teller County Regional Animal Shelter in Divide or the Teller County Fairgrounds in Cripple Creek.

Road closures

Several roads are closed: all of County Road 511 is inaccessible and County Road 51 from County Road 5 to County Road 512 is closed.

Teller County commissioners declared the fire an emergency disaster on Monday, allowing help from more agencies and more state resources to flow.

“This community is very resilient – ​​we have experienced more fires in the last eight years that I have been sheriff than most counties ever experience,” Mikesell said.