A wildfire is raging near Estes Park, Colorado, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park and an area that rarely sees wildfires at this time of year.
Local authorities ordered evacuations of the areas threatened by the Kruger Rock Fire throughout Tuesday.
The wildfire covered 75 acres in the morning and spread to cover 100 acres by the afternoon, threatening homes and businesses along Highway 36 and creeping toward the popular tourist destination.
“The fire is currently at 115 acres and is 11 percent contained. 150 personnel are working the fire with more personnel ordered,” Larimer Emergency Telephone Authority said in its latest Facebook post.
Investigators believe the blaze started with a power line problem, and it was first reported at 7 a.m. Tuesday morning.
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Larimer County emergency services gave several mandatory orders to “evacuate the area immediately and as quickly as possible.”
“Do not delay leaving to gather belongings or make efforts to protect your home or business,” they said.
The fire hasn’t yet damaged buildings, but the flames were visible from Estes Park.
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Since the area sits 7,000 feet above sea level and usually has snow on the ground this time of year, the fire is unusual.
Warmer-than-average weather and high winds fueled the spread of the blaze, which ignited quickly due to the drought conditions. Winds reached up to 45 mph, fanning flames 50 feet skyward, a situation that so far has prevented an aerial attack on the blaze, according to CBS 4.
A cold front is forecast to be followed by conditions including higher humidity and lower wind speeds entering the area later Tuesday night.
