notes: Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10/29/10 10:30 City neighborhoods under evacuation orders Residences and businesses within the following City of Boulder area are being asked to evacuate at this time: from Canyon Boulevard on the south to High Street on the north from the fire location on the west to 7th Street on the east. Everbridge notifications are being made. Evacuees are asked to respond to the Coors Event Center at CU. About 2 dozen firefighters are on-scene. Reporting:Four Mile Fire Protection District, Boulder Rural, City of Boulder Fire, Sugarloaf, Boulder County Sheriff fire crews, Single engine tanker requested. Mutual aid requested from Rocky Mountain Fire and Lefthand Fire. 10/29/10 09:30 Boulder Canyon Update There are two fires located approximately 1/4 mile west of Boulder Canyon. It is about 10 acres in size and moving north. Currently the fire is burning near Elephant Buttress above Dome Rock on city of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks. -> Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DOME WILDFIRE: 10/29 11:00 Evacuation updates Boulder Community Hospital Mapleton and Maxwell facilities are being evacuated by 11:30 a.m. No patients should come to the either out patient facility. There are no evacuations scheduled at this time for Boulder Community Hospital on N. Broadway. Boulder Humane Society and the Boulder Co...unty Fairgrounds (large animals, livestock) and are preparing for displaced animals. 10/29/10 10:30 City neighborhoods under evacuation orders Residences and businesses within the following City of Boulder area are being asked to evacuate at this time: from Canyon Boulevard on the south to High Street on the north from the fire location on the west to 7th Street on the east. Everbridge notifications are being made. Evacuees are asked to respond to the Coors Event Center at CU. About 2 dozen firefighters are on-scene. Reporting:Four Mile Fire Protection District, Boulder Rural, City of Boulder Fire, Sugarloaf, Boulder County Sheriff fire crews, Single engine tanker requested. Mutual aid requested from Rocky Mountain Fire and Lefthand Fire. 10/29/10 09:30 Boulder Canyon Update There are two fires located approximately 1/4 mile west of Boulder Canyon. It is about 10 acres in size and moving north. Currently the fire is burning near Elephant Buttress above Dome Rock on city of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks.

notes: Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:56 p.m. - Sept. 9, 2010 Because of worsening weather predictions that have increased the potential for high winds and more active fire behavior this afternoon, Boulder County officials are rescinding the prior decision to open certain neighborhoods in the evacuation area. At 10 a.m. today, certain communities within the evacuation area were opened to allow residents to gather what they need from their homes and be prepared to evacuate again. Those areas will now be closed as of 12:30 p.m., and all residents who entered those areas are asked to leave under a mandatory evacuation order as of 2 p.m. today. The areas include: * Boulder Heights * Pine Brook Hills * Carriage Hills * Olde Stage Road * Lee Hill Drive Additionally, the openings of Lefthand Canyon Drive, Sunshine Canyon Drive, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road that were tentatively scheduled for 2 p.m. today have been cancelled. Residents should not attempt to return to their homes if they live along any of those roads. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:30 a.m. - Sept. 9, 2010 - no change to information posted overnight A media briefing is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Boulder Reservoir, 5565 51st St, Boulder. The location of the media briefings has changed to allow for closer proximity to the Incident Command Center and basecamp for firefighting operations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Some subdivisions to reopen at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 9 The following subdivisions will reopen to residents at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning: * Boulder Heights * Pine Brook Hills * Carriage Hills In addition, the areas east of Olde Stage Road and Lee Hill will also reopen to residents. PLEASE NOTE: Residents must stay on alert and be ready to re-evacuate immediately if conditions change. Residents of the area are asked to bring personal identification. Power will remain off in these areas. The remaining evacuated areas remain highly volatile and therefore residents cannot return to their homes. Updated figures: * Over 6,300 acres in the burn area o 20+ miles of fire perimeter * 500 personnel working either on scene or at the Incident Command Center * 70+ engines * 100,000 gallons of fire retardant dropped by air today * $2.1 million has been spent on the fire already ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- School information: * Jamestown School will reopen tomorrow * Gold Hill classes will be temporarily held at Foothills Elementary in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sherrif's Office asks that people remain patient and follow current evacuation orders in order to help focus on the fire itself. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:52 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - One home has been removed from the list of structures destroyed in the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. The list now stands at 139 after the removal of 280 Mountain King Road. www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:58 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive remains closed. There has been no change to any road closure information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:17 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office has provided a list of 140 structures that have been destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire: www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - For families affected by the Fourmile Canyon fire and related mountain school closures, Boulder Public Library offers board games for school-aged children and their families at the Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Visit the library’s South Pulse Point for Apples to Apples, Monopoly, and much more. Families are welcome from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information: Boulder Public Library Youth Services, 303-441-3099. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The sheriff's office has issued a release about the emergency alert system problems that have been encountered during this fire. See it here: http://www.bouldercounty.org/sheriff/press/prlist.htm 4:08 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Updated map of the burn area and evacuation perimeter: www.bouldercounty.org/bocc/FourMileFireWebPerimeter.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:59 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County is asking that all residents who have been evacuated due to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire please contact the county. Go to www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2300&zoneid=1 for details. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:45 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - A community meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Coors Events Center on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder. The meeting is intended to inform residents about the initial response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, ongoing firefighting activates, and to provide resources through the Red Cross such as victim advocates and insurance and emergency shelter information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:39 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County has established a victim assistance center for people affected by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. 3482 N. Broadway in Boulder or call 303-441-3560. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:38 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Farmer's Insurance will set up a mobile claims center from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:31 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - People who wish to make donations or volunteer are asked to dial 211 or call 866-760-6489. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. Please do not drop off donations at local fire facilities. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:26 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County Public Health continues to urge residents to stay inside due to smoke from the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Visit www.BoulderCountyAir.org for more information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:58 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive is closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:03 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The current evacuation area has not changed and includes: - the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway - west of Highway 36 - south of Lefthand Canyon Rd - north of Boulder Canyon - along Sugarloaf Rd - There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. The current list of road updates also has not changed and is as follows: - Boulder Canyon is open - Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown - Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet - Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:21 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: A map of the fire and evacuation perimeters as of 12:30 p.m. today has been posted at the following URL: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Communication/fourmile/Four_Mile_Fire_Web_Perimeter_1230.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:11 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: Small pets are allowed at the shelter at the Boulder YMCA, 2850 Mapleton Ave. They will be housed away from people, but pet owners can visit with their pets, walk them outside, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:50 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: City Manager Jane Brautigam has ordered the closure of Boulder Reservoir to the public starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, until further notice. The city property will be used to shelter firefighters who are working the Fourmile Canyon wildfire in Boulder County. Emergency crews will be allowed to utilize camping equipment for the duration of the closure. The public will not be allowed access to the Reservoir during this time. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists and all vehicles through all entry points. The Boulder Reservoir location was chosen because of its proximity to the Incident Command Post at the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center. “We know the Boulder Reservoir is a popular destination this time of year, but this closure is necessary to help the courageous firefighting crews who are working this very difficult situation,” Brautigam said. “As a city, our hearts go out to our neighbors who have lost their homes, and we are pleased to be able to provide whatever support we can to the emergency personnel on the front lines." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:34 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials provided updated information about the Fourmile Canyon wildfire at a press briefing at 4 p.m. today. An additional news briefing will be held today at 8 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. No injuries or deaths as a result of the fire have been reported. The Fourmile Canyon wildfire has grown to at least 7,100 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of more than 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. Teams are on site to catalog burned structures and to investigate the fire’s cause and origin. More than 200 firefighters, from at least 35 local, regional and national agencies are working to contain the active fire. Eight air tankers and three helicopters joined the effort. Due to a thick inversion layer limiting visibility, air tankers were unable take off Tuesday morning, but dropped more than 90,000 gallons of fire retardant later in the day. Communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive, west of Olde Stage Road and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119) will remain evacuated until further notice. Residents will be informed when any evacuations have been lifted. The emergency shelter at the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder is closed. A new overnight emergency shelter has opened at the Boulder YMCA located at 2850 Mapleton Ave. Food, water and insurance resources will be available courtesy of the American Red Cross. Boulder County will have animal control officers on scene conducting animal evacuations when site access becomes available. Animal evacuation information can be obtained by calling 720-564-2942. An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire. Residents are asked to contact the call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 unless there is an emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:59 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mountain school information for Wednesday, Sept. 8: Nederland Middle/Senior High School, open; Nederland Elementary School, open; Gold Hill Elementary School, closed; Jamestown Elementary School, closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:30 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Xcel Energy estimates that approximately 2,000 customers are without electricity in the Fourmile Canyon fire area. As the fire grew on Monday, crews shut off service to sections of the distribution power grid to reduce danger. Xcel is attempting to gain access to the fire zone in order to ensure gas service is shut off, to assess the damage to its facilities, and to begin restoration. Xcel Energy has crews surrounding the fire area ready to begin work as soon as conditions are safe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:10 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: People who wish to make donations are asked to call 2-1-1. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:20 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The shelter at the Coors Event Center will close at 5 p.m. A shelter at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. will open at 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:58 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - To volunteer during the Fourmile Canyon wildfire situation, please call Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904 or email services@volunteerconnection.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Specific volunteer needs are still being assessed at this time, but a list of potential volunteers and their contact information is being compiled. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:05 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - For those wilth insurance claims and questions, Allstate and State Farm have set up booths at the shelter at the Coors Event Center on the CU campus in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:30a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The Learning Lab at the Main Boulder Public Library is equipped with eight computers and reserved for people affected by the fire. Ask at the Main Library information desk to be admitted. The Learning Lab will be staffed by a librarian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:18 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The next press briefing will be at noon at the Boulder County Justice Center at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. Another briefing is scheduled for 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:27 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mail to Lefthand Canyon is not being delivered due to the fire. Lefthand Canyon mail customers are asked to pick up their mail at the Jamestown Post Office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:57 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - A new incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:41 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials will be on hand to update the public and media on the status of the Fourmile Canyon Fire at a briefing scheduled for 9 a.m. Mountain time Tuesday at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. So far, no injuries as a result of the fire have been reported. Up-to-date information about the size of the fire, its movement overnight, personnel and equipment involved in fighting the fire, evacuation status and tactical plans for the day will be discussed at the briefing, among other information. The Fourmile Canyon Fire is at least 3,500 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. There have been no evacuations within the city limits of Boulder. The evacuation area includes communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119). Twelve people spent Monday night in the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. All other emergency shelters were closed because evacuated residents had made arrangements to stay with friends or family in the area, according to Red Cross officials. More than 100 firefighters manning 35 engines from 30 local agencies worked to contain the fast-moving, wind-blown fire on Monday. Three aircraft also joined the fight flying 18 sorties and dropping 40,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire. Additional aircraft are expected to join the effort on Tuesday. Boulder Canyon Drive reopened to traffic Monday evening, however, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road remain closed. Additionally, Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are open from U.S. Highway 36 to Jamestown. Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Lee Hill Drive and Lick Skillet Road. The Boulder Valley School District also announced that all mountain schools will be closed Tuesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:33 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Road updates: Boulder Canyon is open Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Fire crews from approximately 30 local agencies continue to battle the Four Mile Canyon Fire that has burned 3,500 acres and multiple structures. Crews are engaged in “point protection” which includes protecting structures, clearing defensible space around threatened structures, and direct fire suppression. Approximately 3,000 residents are in the evacuation areas. The Four Mile Canyon Fire is a wind driven fire burning in steep, rocky, and hard to access terrain west and north of the City of Boulder. Requests for state and federal assistance have been requested. A total of 100 firefighters and 35 engines are currently working the Four Mile Canyon Fire with additional resources available and responding. Aviation resources were able to assist today after the winds calmed down. An estimated 40,000 gallons of retardant were utilized within the fire area today to assist in firefighting operations. Air operations stopped at nightfall and will resume first thing on Tuesday morning. The current evacuation area includes: the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway west of Highway 36 south of Lefthand Canyon Rd north of Boulder Canyon along Sugarloaf Rd There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - There will be a press briefing at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Press briefing at 8:30 at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:51 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Boulder Valley Humane Society is no longer accepting animals. Longmont Humane Society still has space and will be open throughout the night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:46 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - The Nederland Community Center evaculation center is closed. All evacuees who were at the shelter have been accomodated. Anyone trying to go to Boulder from Nederland should use Coal Creek, and not try to travel through Boulder Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:40 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - There has been some confusion about the call center number. The incident call center can be reached at 303-413-7737. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The winds have died down, allowing aircraft to get up and running. There are currently three air tankers operating over the wildfire: one single-engine tanker with a 799-gallon capacity and two heavy tankers with a 2,300-gallon capacity each. In addition, two other planes are in the air, assisting them. The tankers are dropping retardant and then returning to Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to refill, with an estimated 20-minute turnaround time. They will operate until it is too dark to do so. In addition, four more heavy air tankers have been ordered from Boise, Idaho. They are expected to arrive this evening and stage at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport until tomorrow morning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The campground at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont is open for recreational vehicles. There are approximately 25 sites open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Electrical and sewer hookup available. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:47 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Evacuation area has been expanded from Sugar Loaf Road to the Peak to Peak Highway. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: This is the most comprehensive list of residential areas that have been ordered to evacuate as a result of the wildfire: all homes within a 3-mile radius of Gold Hill; the Mountain Meadows subdivision; the Sierra Antigua subdivision; Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines; Pine Brook; Boulder Heights; Whispering Pines; Mile marker 3 Sugarloaf to Boulder Canyon; and Lickskillet west to Sawmill. Again, the emergency alert system is not working properly. Residents in these areas should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The emergency alert notification system is not working properly. Residents in the evacuation area should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The incident call center at 303-413-7737 is taking information from pet owners who are concerned about animals still in the fire area. No rescues of pets are possible at this time; however, animal control officials are monitoring the situation and will start going in, using the central list, as soon as it is safe to do so. The fire is currently estimated at 3,000 acres. There are about 100 firefighters on the perimeter at this time. More resources have been requested. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Whispering Pines in addition to previous neighborhoods. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Boulder County Public Health has issued the following advisory: Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Keep windows and doors closed, unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Additional mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Sugarloaf Mountain, Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. These mandatory evacuations join the previous ones within the original area of Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:55 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Longmont Humane Society at 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont has opened and is also accepting small animals: dogs, cats and other small mammals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Fourmile Canyon wildfire is now estimated at 2,200 acres. Two air tankers are on standby at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, but because of wind conditions, they cannot take off at this time. Residents are being asked to stay out of the area so that fire crews and equipment can continue to make their way to the fire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:25 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation area has been expanded to include several hundred homes in Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. Additional road closures have been ordered to include Linden Drive, west of the city limit, and Lee Hill at Wagon Wheel Gap and Lefthand at Lee Hill Drive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is providing temporary shelter to dogs, cats and small mammals displaced from their homes due to the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. Staff will be at the shelter at 2323 55th St. in Boulder until 5 p.m. to meet families and take in animals. After 5 p.m., pet owners should contact dispatch at 303-441-3333 to make arrangements for an animal care and control officer to meet them at the shelter. More information about small animal care and shelter during this emergency is available at www.boulderhumane.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: A media briefing will be held at 3:15 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation zone at this time is from Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. The fire is believed to have originated in Emerson Gulch. No cause has been determined. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Firefighters closest to the scene are reporting that about 200 acres are affected at this time, and the fire is threatening about 100 structures. They are especially focused on evacuating homes in Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines at this time. Dispatch has used the emergency alert system to contact more than 2,500 phone numbers to notify residents of the situation and evacuation requests. A third evacuation center has been opened at New Vista High School at 20th and Baseline Road in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:45 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7737 instead of calling 9-1-1 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. No city residents have been asked to evacuate at this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The sheriff's office has called for evacuations in the area of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Residents are being notified through the emergency alert system. Evacuation centers for people have been established at the North Boulder Recreation Center, 3170 Broadway in Boulder, and Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 in Nederland. The Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont, is accepting large animals that are affected by the evacuations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:09 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which is burning in Boulder County. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will have a live briefing for the media at 1 p.m. today to provide updates on the Fourmile Canyon wildfire fire burning in Boulder County. The briefing will be held at the Justice Center, 6th & Canyon, Boulder. Commander Rick Brough is the attending PIO for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. The fire started at approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning on 4-Mile Canyon Rd. near Emerson Gulch. The following roads are closed to traffic: Lefthand Canyon, 4-Mile Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Olde Stage, westbound SH 119 (Boulder Canyon). Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Gold Hill area, at least a 4-mile radius at this time. Evacuation centers are open at the Nederland Community Center and North Boulder Recreation Center. More information will be sent after the 1 p.m. briefing. -> Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10/29/10 10:30 City neighborhoods under evacuation orders Residences and businesses within the following City of Boulder area are being asked to evacuate at this time: from Canyon Boulevard on the south to High Street on the north from the fire location on the west to 7th Street on the east. Everbridge notifications are being made. Evacuees are asked to respond to the Coors Event Center at CU. About 2 dozen firefighters are on-scene. Reporting:Four Mile Fire Protection District, Boulder Rural, City of Boulder Fire, Sugarloaf, Boulder County Sheriff fire crews, Single engine tanker requested. Mutual aid requested from Rocky Mountain Fire and Lefthand Fire. 10/29/10 09:30 Boulder Canyon Update There are two fires located approximately 1/4 mile west of Boulder Canyon. It is about 10 acres in size and moving north. Currently the fire is burning near Elephant Buttress above Dome Rock on city of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks.
cat_notes: -> Removed old notes 10/29/10 LTel: 12:56 p.m. - Sept. 9, 2010 Because of worsening weather predictions that have increased the potential for high winds and more active fire behavior this afternoon, Boulder County officials are rescinding the prior decision to open certain neighborhoods in the evacuation area. At 10 a.m. today, certain communities within the evacuation area were opened to allow residents to gather what they need from their homes and be prepared to evacuate again. Those areas will now be closed as of 12:30 p.m., and all residents who entered those areas are asked to leave under a mandatory evacuation order as of 2 p.m. today. The areas include: * Boulder Heights * Pine Brook Hills * Carriage Hills * Olde Stage Road * Lee Hill Drive Additionally, the openings of Lefthand Canyon Drive, Sunshine Canyon Drive, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road that were tentatively scheduled for 2 p.m. today have been cancelled. Residents should not attempt to return to their homes if they live along any of those roads. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:30 a.m. - Sept. 9, 2010 - no change to information posted overnight A media briefing is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Boulder Reservoir, 5565 51st St, Boulder. The location of the media briefings has changed to allow for closer proximity to the Incident Command Center and basecamp for firefighting operations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Some subdivisions to reopen at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 9 The following subdivisions will reopen to residents at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning: * Boulder Heights * Pine Brook Hills * Carriage Hills In addition, the areas east of Olde Stage Road and Lee Hill will also reopen to residents. PLEASE NOTE: Residents must stay on alert and be ready to re-evacuate immediately if conditions change. Residents of the area are asked to bring personal identification. Power will remain off in these areas. The remaining evacuated areas remain highly volatile and therefore residents cannot return to their homes. Updated figures: * Over 6,300 acres in the burn area o 20+ miles of fire perimeter * 500 personnel working either on scene or at the Incident Command Center * 70+ engines * 100,000 gallons of fire retardant dropped by air today * $2.1 million has been spent on the fire already ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- School information: * Jamestown School will reopen tomorrow * Gold Hill classes will be temporarily held at Foothills Elementary in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sherrif's Office asks that people remain patient and follow current evacuation orders in order to help focus on the fire itself. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:52 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - One home has been removed from the list of structures destroyed in the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. The list now stands at 139 after the removal of 280 Mountain King Road. www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:58 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive remains closed. There has been no change to any road closure information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:17 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office has provided a list of 140 structures that have been destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire: www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - For families affected by the Fourmile Canyon fire and related mountain school closures, Boulder Public Library offers board games for school-aged children and their families at the Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Visit the library’s South Pulse Point for Apples to Apples, Monopoly, and much more. Families are welcome from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information: Boulder Public Library Youth Services, 303-441-3099. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The sheriff's office has issued a release about the emergency alert system problems that have been encountered during this fire. See it here: http://www.bouldercounty.org/sheriff/press/prlist.htm 4:08 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Updated map of the burn area and evacuation perimeter: www.bouldercounty.org/bocc/FourMileFireWebPerimeter.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:59 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County is asking that all residents who have been evacuated due to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire please contact the county. Go to www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2300&zoneid=1 for details. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:45 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - A community meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Coors Events Center on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder. The meeting is intended to inform residents about the initial response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, ongoing firefighting activates, and to provide resources through the Red Cross such as victim advocates and insurance and emergency shelter information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:39 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County has established a victim assistance center for people affected by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. 3482 N. Broadway in Boulder or call 303-441-3560. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:38 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Farmer's Insurance will set up a mobile claims center from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:31 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - People who wish to make donations or volunteer are asked to dial 211 or call 866-760-6489. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. Please do not drop off donations at local fire facilities. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:26 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County Public Health continues to urge residents to stay inside due to smoke from the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Visit www.BoulderCountyAir.org for more information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:58 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive is closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:03 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The current evacuation area has not changed and includes: - the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway - west of Highway 36 - south of Lefthand Canyon Rd - north of Boulder Canyon - along Sugarloaf Rd - There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. The current list of road updates also has not changed and is as follows: - Boulder Canyon is open - Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown - Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet - Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:21 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: A map of the fire and evacuation perimeters as of 12:30 p.m. today has been posted at the following URL: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Communication/fourmile/Four_Mile_Fire_Web_Perimeter_1230.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:11 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: Small pets are allowed at the shelter at the Boulder YMCA, 2850 Mapleton Ave. They will be housed away from people, but pet owners can visit with their pets, walk them outside, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:50 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: City Manager Jane Brautigam has ordered the closure of Boulder Reservoir to the public starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, until further notice. The city property will be used to shelter firefighters who are working the Fourmile Canyon wildfire in Boulder County. Emergency crews will be allowed to utilize camping equipment for the duration of the closure. The public will not be allowed access to the Reservoir during this time. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists and all vehicles through all entry points. The Boulder Reservoir location was chosen because of its proximity to the Incident Command Post at the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center. “We know the Boulder Reservoir is a popular destination this time of year, but this closure is necessary to help the courageous firefighting crews who are working this very difficult situation,” Brautigam said. “As a city, our hearts go out to our neighbors who have lost their homes, and we are pleased to be able to provide whatever support we can to the emergency personnel on the front lines." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:34 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials provided updated information about the Fourmile Canyon wildfire at a press briefing at 4 p.m. today. An additional news briefing will be held today at 8 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. No injuries or deaths as a result of the fire have been reported. The Fourmile Canyon wildfire has grown to at least 7,100 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of more than 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. Teams are on site to catalog burned structures and to investigate the fire’s cause and origin. More than 200 firefighters, from at least 35 local, regional and national agencies are working to contain the active fire. Eight air tankers and three helicopters joined the effort. Due to a thick inversion layer limiting visibility, air tankers were unable take off Tuesday morning, but dropped more than 90,000 gallons of fire retardant later in the day. Communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive, west of Olde Stage Road and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119) will remain evacuated until further notice. Residents will be informed when any evacuations have been lifted. The emergency shelter at the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder is closed. A new overnight emergency shelter has opened at the Boulder YMCA located at 2850 Mapleton Ave. Food, water and insurance resources will be available courtesy of the American Red Cross. Boulder County will have animal control officers on scene conducting animal evacuations when site access becomes available. Animal evacuation information can be obtained by calling 720-564-2942. An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire. Residents are asked to contact the call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 unless there is an emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:59 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mountain school information for Wednesday, Sept. 8: Nederland Middle/Senior High School, open; Nederland Elementary School, open; Gold Hill Elementary School, closed; Jamestown Elementary School, closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:30 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Xcel Energy estimates that approximately 2,000 customers are without electricity in the Fourmile Canyon fire area. As the fire grew on Monday, crews shut off service to sections of the distribution power grid to reduce danger. Xcel is attempting to gain access to the fire zone in order to ensure gas service is shut off, to assess the damage to its facilities, and to begin restoration. Xcel Energy has crews surrounding the fire area ready to begin work as soon as conditions are safe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:10 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: People who wish to make donations are asked to call 2-1-1. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:20 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The shelter at the Coors Event Center will close at 5 p.m. A shelter at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. will open at 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:58 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - To volunteer during the Fourmile Canyon wildfire situation, please call Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904 or email services@volunteerconnection.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Specific volunteer needs are still being assessed at this time, but a list of potential volunteers and their contact information is being compiled. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:05 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - For those wilth insurance claims and questions, Allstate and State Farm have set up booths at the shelter at the Coors Event Center on the CU campus in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:30a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The Learning Lab at the Main Boulder Public Library is equipped with eight computers and reserved for people affected by the fire. Ask at the Main Library information desk to be admitted. The Learning Lab will be staffed by a librarian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:18 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The next press briefing will be at noon at the Boulder County Justice Center at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. Another briefing is scheduled for 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:27 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mail to Lefthand Canyon is not being delivered due to the fire. Lefthand Canyon mail customers are asked to pick up their mail at the Jamestown Post Office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:57 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - A new incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:41 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials will be on hand to update the public and media on the status of the Fourmile Canyon Fire at a briefing scheduled for 9 a.m. Mountain time Tuesday at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. So far, no injuries as a result of the fire have been reported. Up-to-date information about the size of the fire, its movement overnight, personnel and equipment involved in fighting the fire, evacuation status and tactical plans for the day will be discussed at the briefing, among other information. The Fourmile Canyon Fire is at least 3,500 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. There have been no evacuations within the city limits of Boulder. The evacuation area includes communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119). Twelve people spent Monday night in the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. All other emergency shelters were closed because evacuated residents had made arrangements to stay with friends or family in the area, according to Red Cross officials. More than 100 firefighters manning 35 engines from 30 local agencies worked to contain the fast-moving, wind-blown fire on Monday. Three aircraft also joined the fight flying 18 sorties and dropping 40,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire. Additional aircraft are expected to join the effort on Tuesday. Boulder Canyon Drive reopened to traffic Monday evening, however, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road remain closed. Additionally, Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are open from U.S. Highway 36 to Jamestown. Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Lee Hill Drive and Lick Skillet Road. The Boulder Valley School District also announced that all mountain schools will be closed Tuesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:33 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Road updates: Boulder Canyon is open Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Fire crews from approximately 30 local agencies continue to battle the Four Mile Canyon Fire that has burned 3,500 acres and multiple structures. Crews are engaged in “point protection” which includes protecting structures, clearing defensible space around threatened structures, and direct fire suppression. Approximately 3,000 residents are in the evacuation areas. The Four Mile Canyon Fire is a wind driven fire burning in steep, rocky, and hard to access terrain west and north of the City of Boulder. Requests for state and federal assistance have been requested. A total of 100 firefighters and 35 engines are currently working the Four Mile Canyon Fire with additional resources available and responding. Aviation resources were able to assist today after the winds calmed down. An estimated 40,000 gallons of retardant were utilized within the fire area today to assist in firefighting operations. Air operations stopped at nightfall and will resume first thing on Tuesday morning. The current evacuation area includes: the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway west of Highway 36 south of Lefthand Canyon Rd north of Boulder Canyon along Sugarloaf Rd There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - There will be a press briefing at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Press briefing at 8:30 at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:51 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Boulder Valley Humane Society is no longer accepting animals. Longmont Humane Society still has space and will be open throughout the night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:46 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - The Nederland Community Center evaculation center is closed. All evacuees who were at the shelter have been accomodated. Anyone trying to go to Boulder from Nederland should use Coal Creek, and not try to travel through Boulder Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:40 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - There has been some confusion about the call center number. The incident call center can be reached at 303-413-7737. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The winds have died down, allowing aircraft to get up and running. There are currently three air tankers operating over the wildfire: one single-engine tanker with a 799-gallon capacity and two heavy tankers with a 2,300-gallon capacity each. In addition, two other planes are in the air, assisting them. The tankers are dropping retardant and then returning to Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to refill, with an estimated 20-minute turnaround time. They will operate until it is too dark to do so. In addition, four more heavy air tankers have been ordered from Boise, Idaho. They are expected to arrive this evening and stage at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport until tomorrow morning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The campground at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont is open for recreational vehicles. There are approximately 25 sites open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Electrical and sewer hookup available. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:47 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Evacuation area has been expanded from Sugar Loaf Road to the Peak to Peak Highway. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: This is the most comprehensive list of residential areas that have been ordered to evacuate as a result of the wildfire: all homes within a 3-mile radius of Gold Hill; the Mountain Meadows subdivision; the Sierra Antigua subdivision; Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines; Pine Brook; Boulder Heights; Whispering Pines; Mile marker 3 Sugarloaf to Boulder Canyon; and Lickskillet west to Sawmill. Again, the emergency alert system is not working properly. Residents in these areas should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The emergency alert notification system is not working properly. Residents in the evacuation area should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The incident call center at 303-413-7737 is taking information from pet owners who are concerned about animals still in the fire area. No rescues of pets are possible at this time; however, animal control officials are monitoring the situation and will start going in, using the central list, as soon as it is safe to do so. The fire is currently estimated at 3,000 acres. There are about 100 firefighters on the perimeter at this time. More resources have been requested. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Whispering Pines in addition to previous neighborhoods. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Boulder County Public Health has issued the following advisory: Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Keep windows and doors closed, unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Additional mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Sugarloaf Mountain, Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. These mandatory evacuations join the previous ones within the original area of Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:55 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Longmont Humane Society at 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont has opened and is also accepting small animals: dogs, cats and other small mammals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Fourmile Canyon wildfire is now estimated at 2,200 acres. Two air tankers are on standby at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, but because of wind conditions, they cannot take off at this time. Residents are being asked to stay out of the area so that fire crews and equipment can continue to make their way to the fire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:25 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation area has been expanded to include several hundred homes in Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. Additional road closures have been ordered to include Linden Drive, west of the city limit, and Lee Hill at Wagon Wheel Gap and Lefthand at Lee Hill Drive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is providing temporary shelter to dogs, cats and small mammals displaced from their homes due to the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. Staff will be at the shelter at 2323 55th St. in Boulder until 5 p.m. to meet families and take in animals. After 5 p.m., pet owners should contact dispatch at 303-441-3333 to make arrangements for an animal care and control officer to meet them at the shelter. More information about small animal care and shelter during this emergency is available at www.boulderhumane.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: A media briefing will be held at 3:15 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation zone at this time is from Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. The fire is believed to have originated in Emerson Gulch. No cause has been determined. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Firefighters closest to the scene are reporting that about 200 acres are affected at this time, and the fire is threatening about 100 structures. They are especially focused on evacuating homes in Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines at this time. Dispatch has used the emergency alert system to contact more than 2,500 phone numbers to notify residents of the situation and evacuation requests. A third evacuation center has been opened at New Vista High School at 20th and Baseline Road in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:45 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7737 instead of calling 9-1-1 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. No city residents have been asked to evacuate at this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The sheriff's office has called for evacuations in the area of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Residents are being notified through the emergency alert system. Evacuation centers for people have been established at the North Boulder Recreation Center, 3170 Broadway in Boulder, and Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 in Nederland. The Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont, is accepting large animals that are affected by the evacuations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:09 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which is burning in Boulder County. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will have a live briefing for the media at 1 p.m. today to provide updates on the Fourmile Canyon wildfire fire burning in Boulder County. The briefing will be held at the Justice Center, 6th & Canyon, Boulder. Commander Rick Brough is the attending PIO for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. The fire started at approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning on 4-Mile Canyon Rd. near Emerson Gulch. The following roads are closed to traffic: Lefthand Canyon, 4-Mile Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Olde Stage, westbound SH 119 (Boulder Canyon). Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Gold Hill area, at least a 4-mile radius at this time. Evacuation centers are open at the Nederland Community Center and North Boulder Recreation Center. More information will be sent after the 1 p.m. briefing.

region: North Range -> Front Range

notes: Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:30 a.m. - Sept. 9, 2010 - no change to information posted overnight A media briefing is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Boulder Reservoir, 5565 51st St, Boulder. The location of the media briefings has changed to allow for closer proximity to the Incident Command Center and basecamp for firefighting operations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Some subdivisions to reopen at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 9 The following subdivisions will reopen to residents at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning: * Boulder Heights * Pine Brook Hills * Carriage Hills In addition, the areas east of Olde Stage Road and Lee Hill will also reopen to residents. PLEASE NOTE: Residents must stay on alert and be ready to re-evacuate immediately if conditions change. Residents of the area are asked to bring personal identification. Power will remain off in these areas. The remaining evacuated areas remain highly volatile and therefore residents cannot return to their homes. Updated figures: * Over 6,300 acres in the burn area o 20+ miles of fire perimeter * 500 personnel working either on scene or at the Incident Command Center * 70+ engines * 100,000 gallons of fire retardant dropped by air today * $2.1 million has been spent on the fire already ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- School information: * Jamestown School will reopen tomorrow * Gold Hill classes will be temporarily held at Foothills Elementary in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sherrif's Office asks that people remain patient and follow current evacuation orders in order to help focus on the fire itself. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:52 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - One home has been removed from the list of structures destroyed in the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. The list now stands at 139 after the removal of 280 Mountain King Road. www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:58 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive remains closed. There has been no change to any road closure information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:17 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office has provided a list of 140 structures that have been destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire: www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - For families affected by the Fourmile Canyon fire and related mountain school closures, Boulder Public Library offers board games for school-aged children and their families at the Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Visit the library’s South Pulse Point for Apples to Apples, Monopoly, and much more. Families are welcome from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information: Boulder Public Library Youth Services, 303-441-3099. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The sheriff's office has issued a release about the emergency alert system problems that have been encountered during this fire. See it here: http://www.bouldercounty.org/sheriff/press/prlist.htm 4:08 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Updated map of the burn area and evacuation perimeter: www.bouldercounty.org/bocc/FourMileFireWebPerimeter.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:59 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County is asking that all residents who have been evacuated due to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire please contact the county. Go to www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2300&zoneid=1 for details. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:45 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - A community meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Coors Events Center on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder. The meeting is intended to inform residents about the initial response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, ongoing firefighting activates, and to provide resources through the Red Cross such as victim advocates and insurance and emergency shelter information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:39 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County has established a victim assistance center for people affected by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. 3482 N. Broadway in Boulder or call 303-441-3560. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:38 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Farmer's Insurance will set up a mobile claims center from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:31 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - People who wish to make donations or volunteer are asked to dial 211 or call 866-760-6489. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. Please do not drop off donations at local fire facilities. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:26 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County Public Health continues to urge residents to stay inside due to smoke from the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Visit www.BoulderCountyAir.org for more information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:58 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive is closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:03 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The current evacuation area has not changed and includes: - the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway - west of Highway 36 - south of Lefthand Canyon Rd - north of Boulder Canyon - along Sugarloaf Rd - There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. The current list of road updates also has not changed and is as follows: - Boulder Canyon is open - Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown - Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet - Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:21 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: A map of the fire and evacuation perimeters as of 12:30 p.m. today has been posted at the following URL: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Communication/fourmile/Four_Mile_Fire_Web_Perimeter_1230.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:11 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: Small pets are allowed at the shelter at the Boulder YMCA, 2850 Mapleton Ave. They will be housed away from people, but pet owners can visit with their pets, walk them outside, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:50 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: City Manager Jane Brautigam has ordered the closure of Boulder Reservoir to the public starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, until further notice. The city property will be used to shelter firefighters who are working the Fourmile Canyon wildfire in Boulder County. Emergency crews will be allowed to utilize camping equipment for the duration of the closure. The public will not be allowed access to the Reservoir during this time. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists and all vehicles through all entry points. The Boulder Reservoir location was chosen because of its proximity to the Incident Command Post at the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center. “We know the Boulder Reservoir is a popular destination this time of year, but this closure is necessary to help the courageous firefighting crews who are working this very difficult situation,” Brautigam said. “As a city, our hearts go out to our neighbors who have lost their homes, and we are pleased to be able to provide whatever support we can to the emergency personnel on the front lines." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:34 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials provided updated information about the Fourmile Canyon wildfire at a press briefing at 4 p.m. today. An additional news briefing will be held today at 8 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. No injuries or deaths as a result of the fire have been reported. The Fourmile Canyon wildfire has grown to at least 7,100 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of more than 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. Teams are on site to catalog burned structures and to investigate the fire’s cause and origin. More than 200 firefighters, from at least 35 local, regional and national agencies are working to contain the active fire. Eight air tankers and three helicopters joined the effort. Due to a thick inversion layer limiting visibility, air tankers were unable take off Tuesday morning, but dropped more than 90,000 gallons of fire retardant later in the day. Communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive, west of Olde Stage Road and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119) will remain evacuated until further notice. Residents will be informed when any evacuations have been lifted. The emergency shelter at the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder is closed. A new overnight emergency shelter has opened at the Boulder YMCA located at 2850 Mapleton Ave. Food, water and insurance resources will be available courtesy of the American Red Cross. Boulder County will have animal control officers on scene conducting animal evacuations when site access becomes available. Animal evacuation information can be obtained by calling 720-564-2942. An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire. Residents are asked to contact the call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 unless there is an emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:59 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mountain school information for Wednesday, Sept. 8: Nederland Middle/Senior High School, open; Nederland Elementary School, open; Gold Hill Elementary School, closed; Jamestown Elementary School, closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:30 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Xcel Energy estimates that approximately 2,000 customers are without electricity in the Fourmile Canyon fire area. As the fire grew on Monday, crews shut off service to sections of the distribution power grid to reduce danger. Xcel is attempting to gain access to the fire zone in order to ensure gas service is shut off, to assess the damage to its facilities, and to begin restoration. Xcel Energy has crews surrounding the fire area ready to begin work as soon as conditions are safe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:10 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: People who wish to make donations are asked to call 2-1-1. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:20 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The shelter at the Coors Event Center will close at 5 p.m. A shelter at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. will open at 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:58 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - To volunteer during the Fourmile Canyon wildfire situation, please call Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904 or email services@volunteerconnection.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Specific volunteer needs are still being assessed at this time, but a list of potential volunteers and their contact information is being compiled. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:05 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - For those wilth insurance claims and questions, Allstate and State Farm have set up booths at the shelter at the Coors Event Center on the CU campus in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:30a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The Learning Lab at the Main Boulder Public Library is equipped with eight computers and reserved for people affected by the fire. Ask at the Main Library information desk to be admitted. The Learning Lab will be staffed by a librarian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:18 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The next press briefing will be at noon at the Boulder County Justice Center at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. Another briefing is scheduled for 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:27 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mail to Lefthand Canyon is not being delivered due to the fire. Lefthand Canyon mail customers are asked to pick up their mail at the Jamestown Post Office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:57 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - A new incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:41 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials will be on hand to update the public and media on the status of the Fourmile Canyon Fire at a briefing scheduled for 9 a.m. Mountain time Tuesday at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. So far, no injuries as a result of the fire have been reported. Up-to-date information about the size of the fire, its movement overnight, personnel and equipment involved in fighting the fire, evacuation status and tactical plans for the day will be discussed at the briefing, among other information. The Fourmile Canyon Fire is at least 3,500 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. There have been no evacuations within the city limits of Boulder. The evacuation area includes communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119). Twelve people spent Monday night in the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. All other emergency shelters were closed because evacuated residents had made arrangements to stay with friends or family in the area, according to Red Cross officials. More than 100 firefighters manning 35 engines from 30 local agencies worked to contain the fast-moving, wind-blown fire on Monday. Three aircraft also joined the fight flying 18 sorties and dropping 40,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire. Additional aircraft are expected to join the effort on Tuesday. Boulder Canyon Drive reopened to traffic Monday evening, however, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road remain closed. Additionally, Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are open from U.S. Highway 36 to Jamestown. Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Lee Hill Drive and Lick Skillet Road. The Boulder Valley School District also announced that all mountain schools will be closed Tuesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:33 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Road updates: Boulder Canyon is open Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Fire crews from approximately 30 local agencies continue to battle the Four Mile Canyon Fire that has burned 3,500 acres and multiple structures. Crews are engaged in “point protection” which includes protecting structures, clearing defensible space around threatened structures, and direct fire suppression. Approximately 3,000 residents are in the evacuation areas. The Four Mile Canyon Fire is a wind driven fire burning in steep, rocky, and hard to access terrain west and north of the City of Boulder. Requests for state and federal assistance have been requested. A total of 100 firefighters and 35 engines are currently working the Four Mile Canyon Fire with additional resources available and responding. Aviation resources were able to assist today after the winds calmed down. An estimated 40,000 gallons of retardant were utilized within the fire area today to assist in firefighting operations. Air operations stopped at nightfall and will resume first thing on Tuesday morning. The current evacuation area includes: the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway west of Highway 36 south of Lefthand Canyon Rd north of Boulder Canyon along Sugarloaf Rd There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - There will be a press briefing at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Press briefing at 8:30 at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:51 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Boulder Valley Humane Society is no longer accepting animals. Longmont Humane Society still has space and will be open throughout the night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:46 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - The Nederland Community Center evaculation center is closed. All evacuees who were at the shelter have been accomodated. Anyone trying to go to Boulder from Nederland should use Coal Creek, and not try to travel through Boulder Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:40 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - There has been some confusion about the call center number. The incident call center can be reached at 303-413-7737. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The winds have died down, allowing aircraft to get up and running. There are currently three air tankers operating over the wildfire: one single-engine tanker with a 799-gallon capacity and two heavy tankers with a 2,300-gallon capacity each. In addition, two other planes are in the air, assisting them. The tankers are dropping retardant and then returning to Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to refill, with an estimated 20-minute turnaround time. They will operate until it is too dark to do so. In addition, four more heavy air tankers have been ordered from Boise, Idaho. They are expected to arrive this evening and stage at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport until tomorrow morning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The campground at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont is open for recreational vehicles. There are approximately 25 sites open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Electrical and sewer hookup available. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:47 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Evacuation area has been expanded from Sugar Loaf Road to the Peak to Peak Highway. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: This is the most comprehensive list of residential areas that have been ordered to evacuate as a result of the wildfire: all homes within a 3-mile radius of Gold Hill; the Mountain Meadows subdivision; the Sierra Antigua subdivision; Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines; Pine Brook; Boulder Heights; Whispering Pines; Mile marker 3 Sugarloaf to Boulder Canyon; and Lickskillet west to Sawmill. Again, the emergency alert system is not working properly. Residents in these areas should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The emergency alert notification system is not working properly. Residents in the evacuation area should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The incident call center at 303-413-7737 is taking information from pet owners who are concerned about animals still in the fire area. No rescues of pets are possible at this time; however, animal control officials are monitoring the situation and will start going in, using the central list, as soon as it is safe to do so. The fire is currently estimated at 3,000 acres. There are about 100 firefighters on the perimeter at this time. More resources have been requested. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Whispering Pines in addition to previous neighborhoods. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Boulder County Public Health has issued the following advisory: Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Keep windows and doors closed, unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Additional mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Sugarloaf Mountain, Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. These mandatory evacuations join the previous ones within the original area of Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:55 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Longmont Humane Society at 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont has opened and is also accepting small animals: dogs, cats and other small mammals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Fourmile Canyon wildfire is now estimated at 2,200 acres. Two air tankers are on standby at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, but because of wind conditions, they cannot take off at this time. Residents are being asked to stay out of the area so that fire crews and equipment can continue to make their way to the fire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:25 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation area has been expanded to include several hundred homes in Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. Additional road closures have been ordered to include Linden Drive, west of the city limit, and Lee Hill at Wagon Wheel Gap and Lefthand at Lee Hill Drive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is providing temporary shelter to dogs, cats and small mammals displaced from their homes due to the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. Staff will be at the shelter at 2323 55th St. in Boulder until 5 p.m. to meet families and take in animals. After 5 p.m., pet owners should contact dispatch at 303-441-3333 to make arrangements for an animal care and control officer to meet them at the shelter. More information about small animal care and shelter during this emergency is available at www.boulderhumane.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: A media briefing will be held at 3:15 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation zone at this time is from Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. The fire is believed to have originated in Emerson Gulch. No cause has been determined. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Firefighters closest to the scene are reporting that about 200 acres are affected at this time, and the fire is threatening about 100 structures. They are especially focused on evacuating homes in Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines at this time. Dispatch has used the emergency alert system to contact more than 2,500 phone numbers to notify residents of the situation and evacuation requests. A third evacuation center has been opened at New Vista High School at 20th and Baseline Road in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:45 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7737 instead of calling 9-1-1 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. No city residents have been asked to evacuate at this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The sheriff's office has called for evacuations in the area of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Residents are being notified through the emergency alert system. Evacuation centers for people have been established at the North Boulder Recreation Center, 3170 Broadway in Boulder, and Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 in Nederland. The Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont, is accepting large animals that are affected by the evacuations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:09 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which is burning in Boulder County. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will have a live briefing for the media at 1 p.m. today to provide updates on the Fourmile Canyon wildfire fire burning in Boulder County. The briefing will be held at the Justice Center, 6th & Canyon, Boulder. Commander Rick Brough is the attending PIO for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. The fire started at approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning on 4-Mile Canyon Rd. near Emerson Gulch. The following roads are closed to traffic: Lefthand Canyon, 4-Mile Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Olde Stage, westbound SH 119 (Boulder Canyon). Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Gold Hill area, at least a 4-mile radius at this time. Evacuation centers are open at the Nederland Community Center and North Boulder Recreation Center. More information will be sent after the 1 p.m. briefing. -> Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:56 p.m. - Sept. 9, 2010 Because of worsening weather predictions that have increased the potential for high winds and more active fire behavior this afternoon, Boulder County officials are rescinding the prior decision to open certain neighborhoods in the evacuation area. At 10 a.m. today, certain communities within the evacuation area were opened to allow residents to gather what they need from their homes and be prepared to evacuate again. Those areas will now be closed as of 12:30 p.m., and all residents who entered those areas are asked to leave under a mandatory evacuation order as of 2 p.m. today. The areas include: * Boulder Heights * Pine Brook Hills * Carriage Hills * Olde Stage Road * Lee Hill Drive Additionally, the openings of Lefthand Canyon Drive, Sunshine Canyon Drive, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road that were tentatively scheduled for 2 p.m. today have been cancelled. Residents should not attempt to return to their homes if they live along any of those roads. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:30 a.m. - Sept. 9, 2010 - no change to information posted overnight A media briefing is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Boulder Reservoir, 5565 51st St, Boulder. The location of the media briefings has changed to allow for closer proximity to the Incident Command Center and basecamp for firefighting operations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Some subdivisions to reopen at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 9 The following subdivisions will reopen to residents at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning: * Boulder Heights * Pine Brook Hills * Carriage Hills In addition, the areas east of Olde Stage Road and Lee Hill will also reopen to residents. PLEASE NOTE: Residents must stay on alert and be ready to re-evacuate immediately if conditions change. Residents of the area are asked to bring personal identification. Power will remain off in these areas. The remaining evacuated areas remain highly volatile and therefore residents cannot return to their homes. Updated figures: * Over 6,300 acres in the burn area o 20+ miles of fire perimeter * 500 personnel working either on scene or at the Incident Command Center * 70+ engines * 100,000 gallons of fire retardant dropped by air today * $2.1 million has been spent on the fire already ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- School information: * Jamestown School will reopen tomorrow * Gold Hill classes will be temporarily held at Foothills Elementary in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sherrif's Office asks that people remain patient and follow current evacuation orders in order to help focus on the fire itself. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:52 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - One home has been removed from the list of structures destroyed in the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. The list now stands at 139 after the removal of 280 Mountain King Road. www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:58 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive remains closed. There has been no change to any road closure information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:17 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office has provided a list of 140 structures that have been destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire: www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - For families affected by the Fourmile Canyon fire and related mountain school closures, Boulder Public Library offers board games for school-aged children and their families at the Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Visit the library’s South Pulse Point for Apples to Apples, Monopoly, and much more. Families are welcome from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information: Boulder Public Library Youth Services, 303-441-3099. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The sheriff's office has issued a release about the emergency alert system problems that have been encountered during this fire. See it here: http://www.bouldercounty.org/sheriff/press/prlist.htm 4:08 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Updated map of the burn area and evacuation perimeter: www.bouldercounty.org/bocc/FourMileFireWebPerimeter.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:59 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County is asking that all residents who have been evacuated due to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire please contact the county. Go to www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2300&zoneid=1 for details. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:45 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - A community meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Coors Events Center on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder. The meeting is intended to inform residents about the initial response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, ongoing firefighting activates, and to provide resources through the Red Cross such as victim advocates and insurance and emergency shelter information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:39 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County has established a victim assistance center for people affected by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. 3482 N. Broadway in Boulder or call 303-441-3560. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:38 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Farmer's Insurance will set up a mobile claims center from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:31 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - People who wish to make donations or volunteer are asked to dial 211 or call 866-760-6489. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. Please do not drop off donations at local fire facilities. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:26 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County Public Health continues to urge residents to stay inside due to smoke from the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Visit www.BoulderCountyAir.org for more information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:58 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive is closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:03 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The current evacuation area has not changed and includes: - the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway - west of Highway 36 - south of Lefthand Canyon Rd - north of Boulder Canyon - along Sugarloaf Rd - There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. The current list of road updates also has not changed and is as follows: - Boulder Canyon is open - Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown - Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet - Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:21 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: A map of the fire and evacuation perimeters as of 12:30 p.m. today has been posted at the following URL: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Communication/fourmile/Four_Mile_Fire_Web_Perimeter_1230.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:11 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: Small pets are allowed at the shelter at the Boulder YMCA, 2850 Mapleton Ave. They will be housed away from people, but pet owners can visit with their pets, walk them outside, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:50 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: City Manager Jane Brautigam has ordered the closure of Boulder Reservoir to the public starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, until further notice. The city property will be used to shelter firefighters who are working the Fourmile Canyon wildfire in Boulder County. Emergency crews will be allowed to utilize camping equipment for the duration of the closure. The public will not be allowed access to the Reservoir during this time. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists and all vehicles through all entry points. The Boulder Reservoir location was chosen because of its proximity to the Incident Command Post at the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center. “We know the Boulder Reservoir is a popular destination this time of year, but this closure is necessary to help the courageous firefighting crews who are working this very difficult situation,” Brautigam said. “As a city, our hearts go out to our neighbors who have lost their homes, and we are pleased to be able to provide whatever support we can to the emergency personnel on the front lines." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:34 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials provided updated information about the Fourmile Canyon wildfire at a press briefing at 4 p.m. today. An additional news briefing will be held today at 8 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. No injuries or deaths as a result of the fire have been reported. The Fourmile Canyon wildfire has grown to at least 7,100 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of more than 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. Teams are on site to catalog burned structures and to investigate the fire’s cause and origin. More than 200 firefighters, from at least 35 local, regional and national agencies are working to contain the active fire. Eight air tankers and three helicopters joined the effort. Due to a thick inversion layer limiting visibility, air tankers were unable take off Tuesday morning, but dropped more than 90,000 gallons of fire retardant later in the day. Communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive, west of Olde Stage Road and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119) will remain evacuated until further notice. Residents will be informed when any evacuations have been lifted. The emergency shelter at the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder is closed. A new overnight emergency shelter has opened at the Boulder YMCA located at 2850 Mapleton Ave. Food, water and insurance resources will be available courtesy of the American Red Cross. Boulder County will have animal control officers on scene conducting animal evacuations when site access becomes available. Animal evacuation information can be obtained by calling 720-564-2942. An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire. Residents are asked to contact the call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 unless there is an emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:59 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mountain school information for Wednesday, Sept. 8: Nederland Middle/Senior High School, open; Nederland Elementary School, open; Gold Hill Elementary School, closed; Jamestown Elementary School, closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:30 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Xcel Energy estimates that approximately 2,000 customers are without electricity in the Fourmile Canyon fire area. As the fire grew on Monday, crews shut off service to sections of the distribution power grid to reduce danger. Xcel is attempting to gain access to the fire zone in order to ensure gas service is shut off, to assess the damage to its facilities, and to begin restoration. Xcel Energy has crews surrounding the fire area ready to begin work as soon as conditions are safe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:10 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: People who wish to make donations are asked to call 2-1-1. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:20 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The shelter at the Coors Event Center will close at 5 p.m. A shelter at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. will open at 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:58 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - To volunteer during the Fourmile Canyon wildfire situation, please call Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904 or email services@volunteerconnection.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Specific volunteer needs are still being assessed at this time, but a list of potential volunteers and their contact information is being compiled. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:05 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - For those wilth insurance claims and questions, Allstate and State Farm have set up booths at the shelter at the Coors Event Center on the CU campus in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:30a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The Learning Lab at the Main Boulder Public Library is equipped with eight computers and reserved for people affected by the fire. Ask at the Main Library information desk to be admitted. The Learning Lab will be staffed by a librarian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:18 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The next press briefing will be at noon at the Boulder County Justice Center at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. Another briefing is scheduled for 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:27 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mail to Lefthand Canyon is not being delivered due to the fire. Lefthand Canyon mail customers are asked to pick up their mail at the Jamestown Post Office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:57 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - A new incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:41 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials will be on hand to update the public and media on the status of the Fourmile Canyon Fire at a briefing scheduled for 9 a.m. Mountain time Tuesday at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. So far, no injuries as a result of the fire have been reported. Up-to-date information about the size of the fire, its movement overnight, personnel and equipment involved in fighting the fire, evacuation status and tactical plans for the day will be discussed at the briefing, among other information. The Fourmile Canyon Fire is at least 3,500 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. There have been no evacuations within the city limits of Boulder. The evacuation area includes communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119). Twelve people spent Monday night in the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. All other emergency shelters were closed because evacuated residents had made arrangements to stay with friends or family in the area, according to Red Cross officials. More than 100 firefighters manning 35 engines from 30 local agencies worked to contain the fast-moving, wind-blown fire on Monday. Three aircraft also joined the fight flying 18 sorties and dropping 40,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire. Additional aircraft are expected to join the effort on Tuesday. Boulder Canyon Drive reopened to traffic Monday evening, however, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road remain closed. Additionally, Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are open from U.S. Highway 36 to Jamestown. Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Lee Hill Drive and Lick Skillet Road. The Boulder Valley School District also announced that all mountain schools will be closed Tuesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:33 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Road updates: Boulder Canyon is open Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Fire crews from approximately 30 local agencies continue to battle the Four Mile Canyon Fire that has burned 3,500 acres and multiple structures. Crews are engaged in “point protection” which includes protecting structures, clearing defensible space around threatened structures, and direct fire suppression. Approximately 3,000 residents are in the evacuation areas. The Four Mile Canyon Fire is a wind driven fire burning in steep, rocky, and hard to access terrain west and north of the City of Boulder. Requests for state and federal assistance have been requested. A total of 100 firefighters and 35 engines are currently working the Four Mile Canyon Fire with additional resources available and responding. Aviation resources were able to assist today after the winds calmed down. An estimated 40,000 gallons of retardant were utilized within the fire area today to assist in firefighting operations. Air operations stopped at nightfall and will resume first thing on Tuesday morning. The current evacuation area includes: the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway west of Highway 36 south of Lefthand Canyon Rd north of Boulder Canyon along Sugarloaf Rd There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - There will be a press briefing at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Press briefing at 8:30 at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:51 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Boulder Valley Humane Society is no longer accepting animals. Longmont Humane Society still has space and will be open throughout the night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:46 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - The Nederland Community Center evaculation center is closed. All evacuees who were at the shelter have been accomodated. Anyone trying to go to Boulder from Nederland should use Coal Creek, and not try to travel through Boulder Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:40 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - There has been some confusion about the call center number. The incident call center can be reached at 303-413-7737. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The winds have died down, allowing aircraft to get up and running. There are currently three air tankers operating over the wildfire: one single-engine tanker with a 799-gallon capacity and two heavy tankers with a 2,300-gallon capacity each. In addition, two other planes are in the air, assisting them. The tankers are dropping retardant and then returning to Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to refill, with an estimated 20-minute turnaround time. They will operate until it is too dark to do so. In addition, four more heavy air tankers have been ordered from Boise, Idaho. They are expected to arrive this evening and stage at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport until tomorrow morning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The campground at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont is open for recreational vehicles. There are approximately 25 sites open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Electrical and sewer hookup available. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:47 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Evacuation area has been expanded from Sugar Loaf Road to the Peak to Peak Highway. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: This is the most comprehensive list of residential areas that have been ordered to evacuate as a result of the wildfire: all homes within a 3-mile radius of Gold Hill; the Mountain Meadows subdivision; the Sierra Antigua subdivision; Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines; Pine Brook; Boulder Heights; Whispering Pines; Mile marker 3 Sugarloaf to Boulder Canyon; and Lickskillet west to Sawmill. Again, the emergency alert system is not working properly. Residents in these areas should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The emergency alert notification system is not working properly. Residents in the evacuation area should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The incident call center at 303-413-7737 is taking information from pet owners who are concerned about animals still in the fire area. No rescues of pets are possible at this time; however, animal control officials are monitoring the situation and will start going in, using the central list, as soon as it is safe to do so. The fire is currently estimated at 3,000 acres. There are about 100 firefighters on the perimeter at this time. More resources have been requested. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Whispering Pines in addition to previous neighborhoods. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Boulder County Public Health has issued the following advisory: Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Keep windows and doors closed, unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Additional mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Sugarloaf Mountain, Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. These mandatory evacuations join the previous ones within the original area of Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:55 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Longmont Humane Society at 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont has opened and is also accepting small animals: dogs, cats and other small mammals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Fourmile Canyon wildfire is now estimated at 2,200 acres. Two air tankers are on standby at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, but because of wind conditions, they cannot take off at this time. Residents are being asked to stay out of the area so that fire crews and equipment can continue to make their way to the fire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:25 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation area has been expanded to include several hundred homes in Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. Additional road closures have been ordered to include Linden Drive, west of the city limit, and Lee Hill at Wagon Wheel Gap and Lefthand at Lee Hill Drive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is providing temporary shelter to dogs, cats and small mammals displaced from their homes due to the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. Staff will be at the shelter at 2323 55th St. in Boulder until 5 p.m. to meet families and take in animals. After 5 p.m., pet owners should contact dispatch at 303-441-3333 to make arrangements for an animal care and control officer to meet them at the shelter. More information about small animal care and shelter during this emergency is available at www.boulderhumane.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: A media briefing will be held at 3:15 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation zone at this time is from Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. The fire is believed to have originated in Emerson Gulch. No cause has been determined. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Firefighters closest to the scene are reporting that about 200 acres are affected at this time, and the fire is threatening about 100 structures. They are especially focused on evacuating homes in Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines at this time. Dispatch has used the emergency alert system to contact more than 2,500 phone numbers to notify residents of the situation and evacuation requests. A third evacuation center has been opened at New Vista High School at 20th and Baseline Road in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:45 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7737 instead of calling 9-1-1 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. No city residents have been asked to evacuate at this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The sheriff's office has called for evacuations in the area of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Residents are being notified through the emergency alert system. Evacuation centers for people have been established at the North Boulder Recreation Center, 3170 Broadway in Boulder, and Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 in Nederland. The Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont, is accepting large animals that are affected by the evacuations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:09 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which is burning in Boulder County. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will have a live briefing for the media at 1 p.m. today to provide updates on the Fourmile Canyon wildfire fire burning in Boulder County. The briefing will be held at the Justice Center, 6th & Canyon, Boulder. Commander Rick Brough is the attending PIO for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. The fire started at approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning on 4-Mile Canyon Rd. near Emerson Gulch. The following roads are closed to traffic: Lefthand Canyon, 4-Mile Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Olde Stage, westbound SH 119 (Boulder Canyon). Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Gold Hill area, at least a 4-mile radius at this time. Evacuation centers are open at the Nederland Community Center and North Boulder Recreation Center. More information will be sent after the 1 p.m. briefing.

notes: Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:30 a.m. - Sept. 9, 2010 - no change to information posted overnight A media briefing is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Boulder Reservoir, 5565 51st St, Boulder. The location of the media briefings has changed to allow for closer proximity to the Incident Command Center and basecamp for firefighting operations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Some subdivisions to reopen at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 9 The following subdivisions will reopen to residents at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning: * Boulder Heights * Pine Brook Hills * Carriage Hills In addition, the areas east of Olde Stage Road and Lee Hill will also reopen to residents. PLEASE NOTE: Residents must stay on alert and be ready to re-evacuate immediately if conditions change. Residents of the area are asked to bring personal identification. Power will remain off in these areas. The remaining evacuated areas remain highly volatile and therefore residents cannot return to their homes. Updated figures: * Over 6,300 acres in the burn area o 20+ miles of fire perimeter * 500 personnel working either on scene or at the Incident Command Center * 70+ engines * 100,000 gallons of fire retardant dropped by air today * $2.1 million has been spent on the fire already ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- School information: * Jamestown School will reopen tomorrow * Gold Hill classes will be temporarily held at Foothills Elementary in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sherrif's Office asks that people remain patient and follow current evacuation orders in order to help focus on the fire itself. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:52 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - One home has been removed from the list of structures destroyed in the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. The list now stands at 139 after the removal of 280 Mountain King Road. www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:58 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive remains closed. There has been no change to any road closure information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:17 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office has provided a list of 140 structures that have been destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire: www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - For families affected by the Fourmile Canyon fire and related mountain school closures, Boulder Public Library offers board games for school-aged children and their families at the Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Visit the library’s South Pulse Point for Apples to Apples, Monopoly, and much more. Families are welcome from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information: Boulder Public Library Youth Services, 303-441-3099. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The sheriff's office has issued a release about the emergency alert system problems that have been encountered during this fire. See it here: http://www.bouldercounty.org/sheriff/press/prlist.htm 4:08 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Updated map of the burn area and evacuation perimeter: www.bouldercounty.org/bocc/FourMileFireWebPerimeter.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:59 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County is asking that all residents who have been evacuated due to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire please contact the county. Go to www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2300&zoneid=1 for details. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:45 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - A community meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Coors Events Center on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder. The meeting is intended to inform residents about the initial response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, ongoing firefighting activates, and to provide resources through the Red Cross such as victim advocates and insurance and emergency shelter information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:39 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County has established a victim assistance center for people affected by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. 3482 N. Broadway in Boulder or call 303-441-3560. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:38 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Farmer's Insurance will set up a mobile claims center from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:31 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - People who wish to make donations or volunteer are asked to dial 211 or call 866-760-6489. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. Please do not drop off donations at local fire facilities. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:26 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County Public Health continues to urge residents to stay inside due to smoke from the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Visit www.BoulderCountyAir.org for more information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:58 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive is closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is providing this information to residents who have been affected by the fire. The addresses listed below are of houses that the Sheriff's Office has identified as destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon Fire. These addresses were determined from only 5-10% of the burned area, as that is the only area that could be safely surveyed today. Some parts of the burned area are more densely populated than others. In most cases, Sheriff’s deputies were able to identify addresses by the homes' mailboxes, some of which are grouped with other mailboxes, so while we intend this to be an accurate list of addresses, we are working under difficult conditions in determining the actual address of each home. We will continue to post more information as it becomes available following additional investigative work on Wednesday. Street or Road Street # Dixon 515 Dixon 698 Dixon 997 Dixon 1270 Emerson Gulch Rd. 560 Emerson Gulch Rd. 756 Emerson Gulch Rd. 1059 Emerson Gulch Rd. 100-B Fourmile Canyon 6060 Fourmile Canyon 6130 Melvina Hill Rd. 450 Melvina Hill Rd. 589 Melvina Hill Rd. 611 Melvina Hill Rd. 805 Melvina Hill Rd. 849 Melvina Hill Rd. 1005 Melvina Hill Rd. 1081 Melvina Hill Rd. 1103 Melvina Hill Rd. 1112 Melvina Hill Rd. 1403 Melvina Hill Rd. 1446 Nancy Mine Rd. 280 Nancy Mine Rd. 833 Nancy Mine Rd. 959-B Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5387 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5546 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5595 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5657 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5695 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5779 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5810 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5841 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5847 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5860 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5879 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5881 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6095 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6101 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6138 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6191 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6297 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6299 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6301 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6305 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6309 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6317 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6319 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6601 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6801 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7875 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7878 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:36 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The next media briefing will be at 9 a.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, located at 6th Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:03 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The current evacuation area has not changed and includes: - the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway - west of Highway 36 - south of Lefthand Canyon Rd - north of Boulder Canyon - along Sugarloaf Rd - There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. The current list of road updates also has not changed and is as follows: - Boulder Canyon is open - Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown - Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet - Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:21 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: A map of the fire and evacuation perimeters as of 12:30 p.m. today has been posted at the following URL: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Communication/fourmile/Four_Mile_Fire_Web_Perimeter_1230.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:11 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: Small pets are allowed at the shelter at the Boulder YMCA, 2850 Mapleton Ave. They will be housed away from people, but pet owners can visit with their pets, walk them outside, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:50 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: City Manager Jane Brautigam has ordered the closure of Boulder Reservoir to the public starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, until further notice. The city property will be used to shelter firefighters who are working the Fourmile Canyon wildfire in Boulder County. Emergency crews will be allowed to utilize camping equipment for the duration of the closure. The public will not be allowed access to the Reservoir during this time. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists and all vehicles through all entry points. The Boulder Reservoir location was chosen because of its proximity to the Incident Command Post at the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center. “We know the Boulder Reservoir is a popular destination this time of year, but this closure is necessary to help the courageous firefighting crews who are working this very difficult situation,” Brautigam said. “As a city, our hearts go out to our neighbors who have lost their homes, and we are pleased to be able to provide whatever support we can to the emergency personnel on the front lines." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:34 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials provided updated information about the Fourmile Canyon wildfire at a press briefing at 4 p.m. today. An additional news briefing will be held today at 8 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. No injuries or deaths as a result of the fire have been reported. The Fourmile Canyon wildfire has grown to at least 7,100 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of more than 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. Teams are on site to catalog burned structures and to investigate the fire’s cause and origin. More than 200 firefighters, from at least 35 local, regional and national agencies are working to contain the active fire. Eight air tankers and three helicopters joined the effort. Due to a thick inversion layer limiting visibility, air tankers were unable take off Tuesday morning, but dropped more than 90,000 gallons of fire retardant later in the day. Communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive, west of Olde Stage Road and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119) will remain evacuated until further notice. Residents will be informed when any evacuations have been lifted. The emergency shelter at the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder is closed. A new overnight emergency shelter has opened at the Boulder YMCA located at 2850 Mapleton Ave. Food, water and insurance resources will be available courtesy of the American Red Cross. Boulder County will have animal control officers on scene conducting animal evacuations when site access becomes available. Animal evacuation information can be obtained by calling 720-564-2942. An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire. Residents are asked to contact the call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 unless there is an emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:59 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mountain school information for Wednesday, Sept. 8: Nederland Middle/Senior High School, open; Nederland Elementary School, open; Gold Hill Elementary School, closed; Jamestown Elementary School, closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:30 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Xcel Energy estimates that approximately 2,000 customers are without electricity in the Fourmile Canyon fire area. As the fire grew on Monday, crews shut off service to sections of the distribution power grid to reduce danger. Xcel is attempting to gain access to the fire zone in order to ensure gas service is shut off, to assess the damage to its facilities, and to begin restoration. Xcel Energy has crews surrounding the fire area ready to begin work as soon as conditions are safe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:10 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: People who wish to make donations are asked to call 2-1-1. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:20 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The shelter at the Coors Event Center will close at 5 p.m. A shelter at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. will open at 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:58 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - To volunteer during the Fourmile Canyon wildfire situation, please call Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904 or email services@volunteerconnection.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Specific volunteer needs are still being assessed at this time, but a list of potential volunteers and their contact information is being compiled. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:05 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - For those wilth insurance claims and questions, Allstate and State Farm have set up booths at the shelter at the Coors Event Center on the CU campus in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:30a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The Learning Lab at the Main Boulder Public Library is equipped with eight computers and reserved for people affected by the fire. Ask at the Main Library information desk to be admitted. The Learning Lab will be staffed by a librarian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:18 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The next press briefing will be at noon at the Boulder County Justice Center at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. Another briefing is scheduled for 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:27 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mail to Lefthand Canyon is not being delivered due to the fire. Lefthand Canyon mail customers are asked to pick up their mail at the Jamestown Post Office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:57 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - A new incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:41 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials will be on hand to update the public and media on the status of the Fourmile Canyon Fire at a briefing scheduled for 9 a.m. Mountain time Tuesday at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. So far, no injuries as a result of the fire have been reported. Up-to-date information about the size of the fire, its movement overnight, personnel and equipment involved in fighting the fire, evacuation status and tactical plans for the day will be discussed at the briefing, among other information. The Fourmile Canyon Fire is at least 3,500 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. There have been no evacuations within the city limits of Boulder. The evacuation area includes communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119). Twelve people spent Monday night in the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. All other emergency shelters were closed because evacuated residents had made arrangements to stay with friends or family in the area, according to Red Cross officials. More than 100 firefighters manning 35 engines from 30 local agencies worked to contain the fast-moving, wind-blown fire on Monday. Three aircraft also joined the fight flying 18 sorties and dropping 40,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire. Additional aircraft are expected to join the effort on Tuesday. Boulder Canyon Drive reopened to traffic Monday evening, however, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road remain closed. Additionally, Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are open from U.S. Highway 36 to Jamestown. Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Lee Hill Drive and Lick Skillet Road. The Boulder Valley School District also announced that all mountain schools will be closed Tuesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:33 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Road updates: Boulder Canyon is open Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Fire crews from approximately 30 local agencies continue to battle the Four Mile Canyon Fire that has burned 3,500 acres and multiple structures. Crews are engaged in “point protection” which includes protecting structures, clearing defensible space around threatened structures, and direct fire suppression. Approximately 3,000 residents are in the evacuation areas. The Four Mile Canyon Fire is a wind driven fire burning in steep, rocky, and hard to access terrain west and north of the City of Boulder. Requests for state and federal assistance have been requested. A total of 100 firefighters and 35 engines are currently working the Four Mile Canyon Fire with additional resources available and responding. Aviation resources were able to assist today after the winds calmed down. An estimated 40,000 gallons of retardant were utilized within the fire area today to assist in firefighting operations. Air operations stopped at nightfall and will resume first thing on Tuesday morning. The current evacuation area includes: the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway west of Highway 36 south of Lefthand Canyon Rd north of Boulder Canyon along Sugarloaf Rd There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - There will be a press briefing at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Press briefing at 8:30 at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:51 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Boulder Valley Humane Society is no longer accepting animals. Longmont Humane Society still has space and will be open throughout the night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:46 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - The Nederland Community Center evaculation center is closed. All evacuees who were at the shelter have been accomodated. Anyone trying to go to Boulder from Nederland should use Coal Creek, and not try to travel through Boulder Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:40 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - There has been some confusion about the call center number. The incident call center can be reached at 303-413-7737. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The winds have died down, allowing aircraft to get up and running. There are currently three air tankers operating over the wildfire: one single-engine tanker with a 799-gallon capacity and two heavy tankers with a 2,300-gallon capacity each. In addition, two other planes are in the air, assisting them. The tankers are dropping retardant and then returning to Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to refill, with an estimated 20-minute turnaround time. They will operate until it is too dark to do so. In addition, four more heavy air tankers have been ordered from Boise, Idaho. They are expected to arrive this evening and stage at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport until tomorrow morning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The campground at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont is open for recreational vehicles. There are approximately 25 sites open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Electrical and sewer hookup available. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:47 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Evacuation area has been expanded from Sugar Loaf Road to the Peak to Peak Highway. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: This is the most comprehensive list of residential areas that have been ordered to evacuate as a result of the wildfire: all homes within a 3-mile radius of Gold Hill; the Mountain Meadows subdivision; the Sierra Antigua subdivision; Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines; Pine Brook; Boulder Heights; Whispering Pines; Mile marker 3 Sugarloaf to Boulder Canyon; and Lickskillet west to Sawmill. Again, the emergency alert system is not working properly. Residents in these areas should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The emergency alert notification system is not working properly. Residents in the evacuation area should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The incident call center at 303-413-7737 is taking information from pet owners who are concerned about animals still in the fire area. No rescues of pets are possible at this time; however, animal control officials are monitoring the situation and will start going in, using the central list, as soon as it is safe to do so. The fire is currently estimated at 3,000 acres. There are about 100 firefighters on the perimeter at this time. More resources have been requested. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Whispering Pines in addition to previous neighborhoods. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Boulder County Public Health has issued the following advisory: Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Keep windows and doors closed, unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Additional mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Sugarloaf Mountain, Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. These mandatory evacuations join the previous ones within the original area of Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:55 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Longmont Humane Society at 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont has opened and is also accepting small animals: dogs, cats and other small mammals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Fourmile Canyon wildfire is now estimated at 2,200 acres. Two air tankers are on standby at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, but because of wind conditions, they cannot take off at this time. Residents are being asked to stay out of the area so that fire crews and equipment can continue to make their way to the fire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:25 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation area has been expanded to include several hundred homes in Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. Additional road closures have been ordered to include Linden Drive, west of the city limit, and Lee Hill at Wagon Wheel Gap and Lefthand at Lee Hill Drive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is providing temporary shelter to dogs, cats and small mammals displaced from their homes due to the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. Staff will be at the shelter at 2323 55th St. in Boulder until 5 p.m. to meet families and take in animals. After 5 p.m., pet owners should contact dispatch at 303-441-3333 to make arrangements for an animal care and control officer to meet them at the shelter. More information about small animal care and shelter during this emergency is available at www.boulderhumane.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: A media briefing will be held at 3:15 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation zone at this time is from Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. The fire is believed to have originated in Emerson Gulch. No cause has been determined. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Firefighters closest to the scene are reporting that about 200 acres are affected at this time, and the fire is threatening about 100 structures. They are especially focused on evacuating homes in Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines at this time. Dispatch has used the emergency alert system to contact more than 2,500 phone numbers to notify residents of the situation and evacuation requests. A third evacuation center has been opened at New Vista High School at 20th and Baseline Road in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:45 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7737 instead of calling 9-1-1 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. No city residents have been asked to evacuate at this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The sheriff's office has called for evacuations in the area of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Residents are being notified through the emergency alert system. Evacuation centers for people have been established at the North Boulder Recreation Center, 3170 Broadway in Boulder, and Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 in Nederland. The Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont, is accepting large animals that are affected by the evacuations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:09 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which is burning in Boulder County. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will have a live briefing for the media at 1 p.m. today to provide updates on the Fourmile Canyon wildfire fire burning in Boulder County. The briefing will be held at the Justice Center, 6th & Canyon, Boulder. Commander Rick Brough is the attending PIO for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. The fire started at approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning on 4-Mile Canyon Rd. near Emerson Gulch. The following roads are closed to traffic: Lefthand Canyon, 4-Mile Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Olde Stage, westbound SH 119 (Boulder Canyon). Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Gold Hill area, at least a 4-mile radius at this time. Evacuation centers are open at the Nederland Community Center and North Boulder Recreation Center. More information will be sent after the 1 p.m. briefing. -> Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:30 a.m. - Sept. 9, 2010 - no change to information posted overnight A media briefing is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Boulder Reservoir, 5565 51st St, Boulder. The location of the media briefings has changed to allow for closer proximity to the Incident Command Center and basecamp for firefighting operations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Some subdivisions to reopen at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 9 The following subdivisions will reopen to residents at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning: * Boulder Heights * Pine Brook Hills * Carriage Hills In addition, the areas east of Olde Stage Road and Lee Hill will also reopen to residents. PLEASE NOTE: Residents must stay on alert and be ready to re-evacuate immediately if conditions change. Residents of the area are asked to bring personal identification. Power will remain off in these areas. The remaining evacuated areas remain highly volatile and therefore residents cannot return to their homes. Updated figures: * Over 6,300 acres in the burn area o 20+ miles of fire perimeter * 500 personnel working either on scene or at the Incident Command Center * 70+ engines * 100,000 gallons of fire retardant dropped by air today * $2.1 million has been spent on the fire already ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- School information: * Jamestown School will reopen tomorrow * Gold Hill classes will be temporarily held at Foothills Elementary in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sherrif's Office asks that people remain patient and follow current evacuation orders in order to help focus on the fire itself. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:52 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - One home has been removed from the list of structures destroyed in the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. The list now stands at 139 after the removal of 280 Mountain King Road. www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:58 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive remains closed. There has been no change to any road closure information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:17 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office has provided a list of 140 structures that have been destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire: www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - For families affected by the Fourmile Canyon fire and related mountain school closures, Boulder Public Library offers board games for school-aged children and their families at the Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Visit the library’s South Pulse Point for Apples to Apples, Monopoly, and much more. Families are welcome from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information: Boulder Public Library Youth Services, 303-441-3099. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The sheriff's office has issued a release about the emergency alert system problems that have been encountered during this fire. See it here: http://www.bouldercounty.org/sheriff/press/prlist.htm 4:08 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Updated map of the burn area and evacuation perimeter: www.bouldercounty.org/bocc/FourMileFireWebPerimeter.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:59 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County is asking that all residents who have been evacuated due to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire please contact the county. Go to www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2300&zoneid=1 for details. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:45 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - A community meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Coors Events Center on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder. The meeting is intended to inform residents about the initial response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, ongoing firefighting activates, and to provide resources through the Red Cross such as victim advocates and insurance and emergency shelter information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:39 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County has established a victim assistance center for people affected by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. 3482 N. Broadway in Boulder or call 303-441-3560. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:38 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Farmer's Insurance will set up a mobile claims center from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:31 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - People who wish to make donations or volunteer are asked to dial 211 or call 866-760-6489. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. Please do not drop off donations at local fire facilities. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:26 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County Public Health continues to urge residents to stay inside due to smoke from the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Visit www.BoulderCountyAir.org for more information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:58 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive is closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:03 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The current evacuation area has not changed and includes: - the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway - west of Highway 36 - south of Lefthand Canyon Rd - north of Boulder Canyon - along Sugarloaf Rd - There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. The current list of road updates also has not changed and is as follows: - Boulder Canyon is open - Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown - Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet - Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:21 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: A map of the fire and evacuation perimeters as of 12:30 p.m. today has been posted at the following URL: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Communication/fourmile/Four_Mile_Fire_Web_Perimeter_1230.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:11 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: Small pets are allowed at the shelter at the Boulder YMCA, 2850 Mapleton Ave. They will be housed away from people, but pet owners can visit with their pets, walk them outside, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:50 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: City Manager Jane Brautigam has ordered the closure of Boulder Reservoir to the public starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, until further notice. The city property will be used to shelter firefighters who are working the Fourmile Canyon wildfire in Boulder County. Emergency crews will be allowed to utilize camping equipment for the duration of the closure. The public will not be allowed access to the Reservoir during this time. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists and all vehicles through all entry points. The Boulder Reservoir location was chosen because of its proximity to the Incident Command Post at the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center. “We know the Boulder Reservoir is a popular destination this time of year, but this closure is necessary to help the courageous firefighting crews who are working this very difficult situation,” Brautigam said. “As a city, our hearts go out to our neighbors who have lost their homes, and we are pleased to be able to provide whatever support we can to the emergency personnel on the front lines." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:34 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials provided updated information about the Fourmile Canyon wildfire at a press briefing at 4 p.m. today. An additional news briefing will be held today at 8 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. No injuries or deaths as a result of the fire have been reported. The Fourmile Canyon wildfire has grown to at least 7,100 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of more than 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. Teams are on site to catalog burned structures and to investigate the fire’s cause and origin. More than 200 firefighters, from at least 35 local, regional and national agencies are working to contain the active fire. Eight air tankers and three helicopters joined the effort. Due to a thick inversion layer limiting visibility, air tankers were unable take off Tuesday morning, but dropped more than 90,000 gallons of fire retardant later in the day. Communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive, west of Olde Stage Road and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119) will remain evacuated until further notice. Residents will be informed when any evacuations have been lifted. The emergency shelter at the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder is closed. A new overnight emergency shelter has opened at the Boulder YMCA located at 2850 Mapleton Ave. Food, water and insurance resources will be available courtesy of the American Red Cross. Boulder County will have animal control officers on scene conducting animal evacuations when site access becomes available. Animal evacuation information can be obtained by calling 720-564-2942. An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire. Residents are asked to contact the call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 unless there is an emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:59 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mountain school information for Wednesday, Sept. 8: Nederland Middle/Senior High School, open; Nederland Elementary School, open; Gold Hill Elementary School, closed; Jamestown Elementary School, closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:30 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Xcel Energy estimates that approximately 2,000 customers are without electricity in the Fourmile Canyon fire area. As the fire grew on Monday, crews shut off service to sections of the distribution power grid to reduce danger. Xcel is attempting to gain access to the fire zone in order to ensure gas service is shut off, to assess the damage to its facilities, and to begin restoration. Xcel Energy has crews surrounding the fire area ready to begin work as soon as conditions are safe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:10 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: People who wish to make donations are asked to call 2-1-1. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:20 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The shelter at the Coors Event Center will close at 5 p.m. A shelter at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. will open at 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:58 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - To volunteer during the Fourmile Canyon wildfire situation, please call Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904 or email services@volunteerconnection.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Specific volunteer needs are still being assessed at this time, but a list of potential volunteers and their contact information is being compiled. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:05 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - For those wilth insurance claims and questions, Allstate and State Farm have set up booths at the shelter at the Coors Event Center on the CU campus in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:30a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The Learning Lab at the Main Boulder Public Library is equipped with eight computers and reserved for people affected by the fire. Ask at the Main Library information desk to be admitted. The Learning Lab will be staffed by a librarian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:18 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The next press briefing will be at noon at the Boulder County Justice Center at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. Another briefing is scheduled for 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:27 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mail to Lefthand Canyon is not being delivered due to the fire. Lefthand Canyon mail customers are asked to pick up their mail at the Jamestown Post Office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:57 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - A new incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:41 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials will be on hand to update the public and media on the status of the Fourmile Canyon Fire at a briefing scheduled for 9 a.m. Mountain time Tuesday at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. So far, no injuries as a result of the fire have been reported. Up-to-date information about the size of the fire, its movement overnight, personnel and equipment involved in fighting the fire, evacuation status and tactical plans for the day will be discussed at the briefing, among other information. The Fourmile Canyon Fire is at least 3,500 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. There have been no evacuations within the city limits of Boulder. The evacuation area includes communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119). Twelve people spent Monday night in the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. All other emergency shelters were closed because evacuated residents had made arrangements to stay with friends or family in the area, according to Red Cross officials. More than 100 firefighters manning 35 engines from 30 local agencies worked to contain the fast-moving, wind-blown fire on Monday. Three aircraft also joined the fight flying 18 sorties and dropping 40,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire. Additional aircraft are expected to join the effort on Tuesday. Boulder Canyon Drive reopened to traffic Monday evening, however, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road remain closed. Additionally, Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are open from U.S. Highway 36 to Jamestown. Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Lee Hill Drive and Lick Skillet Road. The Boulder Valley School District also announced that all mountain schools will be closed Tuesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:33 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Road updates: Boulder Canyon is open Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Fire crews from approximately 30 local agencies continue to battle the Four Mile Canyon Fire that has burned 3,500 acres and multiple structures. Crews are engaged in “point protection” which includes protecting structures, clearing defensible space around threatened structures, and direct fire suppression. Approximately 3,000 residents are in the evacuation areas. The Four Mile Canyon Fire is a wind driven fire burning in steep, rocky, and hard to access terrain west and north of the City of Boulder. Requests for state and federal assistance have been requested. A total of 100 firefighters and 35 engines are currently working the Four Mile Canyon Fire with additional resources available and responding. Aviation resources were able to assist today after the winds calmed down. An estimated 40,000 gallons of retardant were utilized within the fire area today to assist in firefighting operations. Air operations stopped at nightfall and will resume first thing on Tuesday morning. The current evacuation area includes: the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway west of Highway 36 south of Lefthand Canyon Rd north of Boulder Canyon along Sugarloaf Rd There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - There will be a press briefing at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Press briefing at 8:30 at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:51 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Boulder Valley Humane Society is no longer accepting animals. Longmont Humane Society still has space and will be open throughout the night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:46 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - The Nederland Community Center evaculation center is closed. All evacuees who were at the shelter have been accomodated. Anyone trying to go to Boulder from Nederland should use Coal Creek, and not try to travel through Boulder Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:40 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - There has been some confusion about the call center number. The incident call center can be reached at 303-413-7737. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The winds have died down, allowing aircraft to get up and running. There are currently three air tankers operating over the wildfire: one single-engine tanker with a 799-gallon capacity and two heavy tankers with a 2,300-gallon capacity each. In addition, two other planes are in the air, assisting them. The tankers are dropping retardant and then returning to Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to refill, with an estimated 20-minute turnaround time. They will operate until it is too dark to do so. In addition, four more heavy air tankers have been ordered from Boise, Idaho. They are expected to arrive this evening and stage at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport until tomorrow morning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The campground at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont is open for recreational vehicles. There are approximately 25 sites open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Electrical and sewer hookup available. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:47 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Evacuation area has been expanded from Sugar Loaf Road to the Peak to Peak Highway. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: This is the most comprehensive list of residential areas that have been ordered to evacuate as a result of the wildfire: all homes within a 3-mile radius of Gold Hill; the Mountain Meadows subdivision; the Sierra Antigua subdivision; Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines; Pine Brook; Boulder Heights; Whispering Pines; Mile marker 3 Sugarloaf to Boulder Canyon; and Lickskillet west to Sawmill. Again, the emergency alert system is not working properly. Residents in these areas should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The emergency alert notification system is not working properly. Residents in the evacuation area should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The incident call center at 303-413-7737 is taking information from pet owners who are concerned about animals still in the fire area. No rescues of pets are possible at this time; however, animal control officials are monitoring the situation and will start going in, using the central list, as soon as it is safe to do so. The fire is currently estimated at 3,000 acres. There are about 100 firefighters on the perimeter at this time. More resources have been requested. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Whispering Pines in addition to previous neighborhoods. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Boulder County Public Health has issued the following advisory: Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Keep windows and doors closed, unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Additional mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Sugarloaf Mountain, Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. These mandatory evacuations join the previous ones within the original area of Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:55 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Longmont Humane Society at 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont has opened and is also accepting small animals: dogs, cats and other small mammals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Fourmile Canyon wildfire is now estimated at 2,200 acres. Two air tankers are on standby at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, but because of wind conditions, they cannot take off at this time. Residents are being asked to stay out of the area so that fire crews and equipment can continue to make their way to the fire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:25 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation area has been expanded to include several hundred homes in Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. Additional road closures have been ordered to include Linden Drive, west of the city limit, and Lee Hill at Wagon Wheel Gap and Lefthand at Lee Hill Drive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is providing temporary shelter to dogs, cats and small mammals displaced from their homes due to the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. Staff will be at the shelter at 2323 55th St. in Boulder until 5 p.m. to meet families and take in animals. After 5 p.m., pet owners should contact dispatch at 303-441-3333 to make arrangements for an animal care and control officer to meet them at the shelter. More information about small animal care and shelter during this emergency is available at www.boulderhumane.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: A media briefing will be held at 3:15 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation zone at this time is from Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. The fire is believed to have originated in Emerson Gulch. No cause has been determined. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Firefighters closest to the scene are reporting that about 200 acres are affected at this time, and the fire is threatening about 100 structures. They are especially focused on evacuating homes in Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines at this time. Dispatch has used the emergency alert system to contact more than 2,500 phone numbers to notify residents of the situation and evacuation requests. A third evacuation center has been opened at New Vista High School at 20th and Baseline Road in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:45 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7737 instead of calling 9-1-1 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. No city residents have been asked to evacuate at this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The sheriff's office has called for evacuations in the area of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Residents are being notified through the emergency alert system. Evacuation centers for people have been established at the North Boulder Recreation Center, 3170 Broadway in Boulder, and Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 in Nederland. The Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont, is accepting large animals that are affected by the evacuations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:09 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which is burning in Boulder County. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will have a live briefing for the media at 1 p.m. today to provide updates on the Fourmile Canyon wildfire fire burning in Boulder County. The briefing will be held at the Justice Center, 6th & Canyon, Boulder. Commander Rick Brough is the attending PIO for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. The fire started at approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning on 4-Mile Canyon Rd. near Emerson Gulch. The following roads are closed to traffic: Lefthand Canyon, 4-Mile Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Olde Stage, westbound SH 119 (Boulder Canyon). Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Gold Hill area, at least a 4-mile radius at this time. Evacuation centers are open at the Nederland Community Center and North Boulder Recreation Center. More information will be sent after the 1 p.m. briefing.
website: http://boulderoem.com/component/content/article/5 -> http://boulderoem.com/emergency-status

name: Emergency Management, EMA - Boulder Office (SitRep/Status Updates/Text Alerts) -> Emergency Management, EMA - Boulder OEM (SitRep/Status Updates/Text Alerts)

notes: Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Some subdivisions to reopen at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 9 The following subdivisions will reopen to residents at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning: * Boulder Heights * Pine Brook Hills * Carriage Hills In addition, the areas east of Olde Stage Road and Lee Hill will also reopen to residents. PLEASE NOTE: Residents must stay on alert and be ready to re-evacuate immediately if conditions change. Residents of the area are asked to bring personal identification. Power will remain off in these areas. The remaining evacuated areas remain highly volatile and therefore residents cannot return to their homes. Updated figures: * Over 6,300 acres in the burn area o 20+ miles of fire perimeter * 500 personnel working either on scene or at the Incident Command Center * 70+ engines * 100,000 gallons of fire retardant dropped by air today * $2.1 million has been spent on the fire already ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- School information: * Jamestown School will reopen tomorrow * Gold Hill classes will be temporarily held at Foothills Elementary in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sherrif's Office asks that people remain patient and follow current evacuation orders in order to help focus on the fire itself. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:52 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - One home has been removed from the list of structures destroyed in the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. The list now stands at 139 after the removal of 280 Mountain King Road. www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:58 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive remains closed. There has been no change to any road closure information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:17 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office has provided a list of 140 structures that have been destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire: www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - For families affected by the Fourmile Canyon fire and related mountain school closures, Boulder Public Library offers board games for school-aged children and their families at the Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Visit the library’s South Pulse Point for Apples to Apples, Monopoly, and much more. Families are welcome from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information: Boulder Public Library Youth Services, 303-441-3099. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The sheriff's office has issued a release about the emergency alert system problems that have been encountered during this fire. See it here: http://www.bouldercounty.org/sheriff/press/prlist.htm 4:08 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Updated map of the burn area and evacuation perimeter: www.bouldercounty.org/bocc/FourMileFireWebPerimeter.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:59 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County is asking that all residents who have been evacuated due to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire please contact the county. Go to www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2300&zoneid=1 for details. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:45 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - A community meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Coors Events Center on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder. The meeting is intended to inform residents about the initial response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, ongoing firefighting activates, and to provide resources through the Red Cross such as victim advocates and insurance and emergency shelter information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:39 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County has established a victim assistance center for people affected by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. 3482 N. Broadway in Boulder or call 303-441-3560. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:38 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Farmer's Insurance will set up a mobile claims center from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:31 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - People who wish to make donations or volunteer are asked to dial 211 or call 866-760-6489. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. Please do not drop off donations at local fire facilities. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:26 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County Public Health continues to urge residents to stay inside due to smoke from the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Visit www.BoulderCountyAir.org for more information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:58 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive is closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is providing this information to residents who have been affected by the fire. The addresses listed below are of houses that the Sheriff's Office has identified as destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon Fire. These addresses were determined from only 5-10% of the burned area, as that is the only area that could be safely surveyed today. Some parts of the burned area are more densely populated than others. In most cases, Sheriff’s deputies were able to identify addresses by the homes' mailboxes, some of which are grouped with other mailboxes, so while we intend this to be an accurate list of addresses, we are working under difficult conditions in determining the actual address of each home. We will continue to post more information as it becomes available following additional investigative work on Wednesday. Street or Road Street # Dixon 515 Dixon 698 Dixon 997 Dixon 1270 Emerson Gulch Rd. 560 Emerson Gulch Rd. 756 Emerson Gulch Rd. 1059 Emerson Gulch Rd. 100-B Fourmile Canyon 6060 Fourmile Canyon 6130 Melvina Hill Rd. 450 Melvina Hill Rd. 589 Melvina Hill Rd. 611 Melvina Hill Rd. 805 Melvina Hill Rd. 849 Melvina Hill Rd. 1005 Melvina Hill Rd. 1081 Melvina Hill Rd. 1103 Melvina Hill Rd. 1112 Melvina Hill Rd. 1403 Melvina Hill Rd. 1446 Nancy Mine Rd. 280 Nancy Mine Rd. 833 Nancy Mine Rd. 959-B Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5387 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5546 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5595 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5657 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5695 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5779 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5810 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5841 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5847 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5860 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5879 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5881 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6095 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6101 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6138 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6191 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6297 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6299 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6301 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6305 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6309 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6317 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6319 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6601 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6801 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7875 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7878 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:36 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The next media briefing will be at 9 a.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, located at 6th Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:03 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The current evacuation area has not changed and includes: - the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway - west of Highway 36 - south of Lefthand Canyon Rd - north of Boulder Canyon - along Sugarloaf Rd - There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. The current list of road updates also has not changed and is as follows: - Boulder Canyon is open - Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown - Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet - Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:21 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: A map of the fire and evacuation perimeters as of 12:30 p.m. today has been posted at the following URL: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Communication/fourmile/Four_Mile_Fire_Web_Perimeter_1230.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:11 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: Small pets are allowed at the shelter at the Boulder YMCA, 2850 Mapleton Ave. They will be housed away from people, but pet owners can visit with their pets, walk them outside, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:50 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: City Manager Jane Brautigam has ordered the closure of Boulder Reservoir to the public starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, until further notice. The city property will be used to shelter firefighters who are working the Fourmile Canyon wildfire in Boulder County. Emergency crews will be allowed to utilize camping equipment for the duration of the closure. The public will not be allowed access to the Reservoir during this time. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists and all vehicles through all entry points. The Boulder Reservoir location was chosen because of its proximity to the Incident Command Post at the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center. “We know the Boulder Reservoir is a popular destination this time of year, but this closure is necessary to help the courageous firefighting crews who are working this very difficult situation,” Brautigam said. “As a city, our hearts go out to our neighbors who have lost their homes, and we are pleased to be able to provide whatever support we can to the emergency personnel on the front lines." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:34 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials provided updated information about the Fourmile Canyon wildfire at a press briefing at 4 p.m. today. An additional news briefing will be held today at 8 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. No injuries or deaths as a result of the fire have been reported. The Fourmile Canyon wildfire has grown to at least 7,100 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of more than 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. Teams are on site to catalog burned structures and to investigate the fire’s cause and origin. More than 200 firefighters, from at least 35 local, regional and national agencies are working to contain the active fire. Eight air tankers and three helicopters joined the effort. Due to a thick inversion layer limiting visibility, air tankers were unable take off Tuesday morning, but dropped more than 90,000 gallons of fire retardant later in the day. Communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive, west of Olde Stage Road and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119) will remain evacuated until further notice. Residents will be informed when any evacuations have been lifted. The emergency shelter at the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder is closed. A new overnight emergency shelter has opened at the Boulder YMCA located at 2850 Mapleton Ave. Food, water and insurance resources will be available courtesy of the American Red Cross. Boulder County will have animal control officers on scene conducting animal evacuations when site access becomes available. Animal evacuation information can be obtained by calling 720-564-2942. An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire. Residents are asked to contact the call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 unless there is an emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:59 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mountain school information for Wednesday, Sept. 8: Nederland Middle/Senior High School, open; Nederland Elementary School, open; Gold Hill Elementary School, closed; Jamestown Elementary School, closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:30 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Xcel Energy estimates that approximately 2,000 customers are without electricity in the Fourmile Canyon fire area. As the fire grew on Monday, crews shut off service to sections of the distribution power grid to reduce danger. Xcel is attempting to gain access to the fire zone in order to ensure gas service is shut off, to assess the damage to its facilities, and to begin restoration. Xcel Energy has crews surrounding the fire area ready to begin work as soon as conditions are safe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:10 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: People who wish to make donations are asked to call 2-1-1. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:20 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The shelter at the Coors Event Center will close at 5 p.m. A shelter at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. will open at 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:58 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - To volunteer during the Fourmile Canyon wildfire situation, please call Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904 or email services@volunteerconnection.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Specific volunteer needs are still being assessed at this time, but a list of potential volunteers and their contact information is being compiled. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:05 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - For those wilth insurance claims and questions, Allstate and State Farm have set up booths at the shelter at the Coors Event Center on the CU campus in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:30a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The Learning Lab at the Main Boulder Public Library is equipped with eight computers and reserved for people affected by the fire. Ask at the Main Library information desk to be admitted. The Learning Lab will be staffed by a librarian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:18 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The next press briefing will be at noon at the Boulder County Justice Center at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. Another briefing is scheduled for 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:27 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mail to Lefthand Canyon is not being delivered due to the fire. Lefthand Canyon mail customers are asked to pick up their mail at the Jamestown Post Office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:57 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - A new incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:41 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials will be on hand to update the public and media on the status of the Fourmile Canyon Fire at a briefing scheduled for 9 a.m. Mountain time Tuesday at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. So far, no injuries as a result of the fire have been reported. Up-to-date information about the size of the fire, its movement overnight, personnel and equipment involved in fighting the fire, evacuation status and tactical plans for the day will be discussed at the briefing, among other information. The Fourmile Canyon Fire is at least 3,500 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. There have been no evacuations within the city limits of Boulder. The evacuation area includes communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119). Twelve people spent Monday night in the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. All other emergency shelters were closed because evacuated residents had made arrangements to stay with friends or family in the area, according to Red Cross officials. More than 100 firefighters manning 35 engines from 30 local agencies worked to contain the fast-moving, wind-blown fire on Monday. Three aircraft also joined the fight flying 18 sorties and dropping 40,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire. Additional aircraft are expected to join the effort on Tuesday. Boulder Canyon Drive reopened to traffic Monday evening, however, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road remain closed. Additionally, Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are open from U.S. Highway 36 to Jamestown. Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Lee Hill Drive and Lick Skillet Road. The Boulder Valley School District also announced that all mountain schools will be closed Tuesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:33 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Road updates: Boulder Canyon is open Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Fire crews from approximately 30 local agencies continue to battle the Four Mile Canyon Fire that has burned 3,500 acres and multiple structures. Crews are engaged in “point protection” which includes protecting structures, clearing defensible space around threatened structures, and direct fire suppression. Approximately 3,000 residents are in the evacuation areas. The Four Mile Canyon Fire is a wind driven fire burning in steep, rocky, and hard to access terrain west and north of the City of Boulder. Requests for state and federal assistance have been requested. A total of 100 firefighters and 35 engines are currently working the Four Mile Canyon Fire with additional resources available and responding. Aviation resources were able to assist today after the winds calmed down. An estimated 40,000 gallons of retardant were utilized within the fire area today to assist in firefighting operations. Air operations stopped at nightfall and will resume first thing on Tuesday morning. The current evacuation area includes: the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway west of Highway 36 south of Lefthand Canyon Rd north of Boulder Canyon along Sugarloaf Rd There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - There will be a press briefing at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Press briefing at 8:30 at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:51 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Boulder Valley Humane Society is no longer accepting animals. Longmont Humane Society still has space and will be open throughout the night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:46 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - The Nederland Community Center evaculation center is closed. All evacuees who were at the shelter have been accomodated. Anyone trying to go to Boulder from Nederland should use Coal Creek, and not try to travel through Boulder Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:40 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - There has been some confusion about the call center number. The incident call center can be reached at 303-413-7737. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The winds have died down, allowing aircraft to get up and running. There are currently three air tankers operating over the wildfire: one single-engine tanker with a 799-gallon capacity and two heavy tankers with a 2,300-gallon capacity each. In addition, two other planes are in the air, assisting them. The tankers are dropping retardant and then returning to Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to refill, with an estimated 20-minute turnaround time. They will operate until it is too dark to do so. In addition, four more heavy air tankers have been ordered from Boise, Idaho. They are expected to arrive this evening and stage at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport until tomorrow morning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The campground at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont is open for recreational vehicles. There are approximately 25 sites open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Electrical and sewer hookup available. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:47 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Evacuation area has been expanded from Sugar Loaf Road to the Peak to Peak Highway. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: This is the most comprehensive list of residential areas that have been ordered to evacuate as a result of the wildfire: all homes within a 3-mile radius of Gold Hill; the Mountain Meadows subdivision; the Sierra Antigua subdivision; Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines; Pine Brook; Boulder Heights; Whispering Pines; Mile marker 3 Sugarloaf to Boulder Canyon; and Lickskillet west to Sawmill. Again, the emergency alert system is not working properly. Residents in these areas should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The emergency alert notification system is not working properly. Residents in the evacuation area should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The incident call center at 303-413-7737 is taking information from pet owners who are concerned about animals still in the fire area. No rescues of pets are possible at this time; however, animal control officials are monitoring the situation and will start going in, using the central list, as soon as it is safe to do so. The fire is currently estimated at 3,000 acres. There are about 100 firefighters on the perimeter at this time. More resources have been requested. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Whispering Pines in addition to previous neighborhoods. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Boulder County Public Health has issued the following advisory: Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Keep windows and doors closed, unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Additional mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Sugarloaf Mountain, Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. These mandatory evacuations join the previous ones within the original area of Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:55 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Longmont Humane Society at 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont has opened and is also accepting small animals: dogs, cats and other small mammals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Fourmile Canyon wildfire is now estimated at 2,200 acres. Two air tankers are on standby at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, but because of wind conditions, they cannot take off at this time. Residents are being asked to stay out of the area so that fire crews and equipment can continue to make their way to the fire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:25 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation area has been expanded to include several hundred homes in Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. Additional road closures have been ordered to include Linden Drive, west of the city limit, and Lee Hill at Wagon Wheel Gap and Lefthand at Lee Hill Drive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is providing temporary shelter to dogs, cats and small mammals displaced from their homes due to the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. Staff will be at the shelter at 2323 55th St. in Boulder until 5 p.m. to meet families and take in animals. After 5 p.m., pet owners should contact dispatch at 303-441-3333 to make arrangements for an animal care and control officer to meet them at the shelter. More information about small animal care and shelter during this emergency is available at www.boulderhumane.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: A media briefing will be held at 3:15 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation zone at this time is from Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. The fire is believed to have originated in Emerson Gulch. No cause has been determined. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Firefighters closest to the scene are reporting that about 200 acres are affected at this time, and the fire is threatening about 100 structures. They are especially focused on evacuating homes in Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines at this time. Dispatch has used the emergency alert system to contact more than 2,500 phone numbers to notify residents of the situation and evacuation requests. A third evacuation center has been opened at New Vista High School at 20th and Baseline Road in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:45 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7737 instead of calling 9-1-1 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. No city residents have been asked to evacuate at this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The sheriff's office has called for evacuations in the area of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Residents are being notified through the emergency alert system. Evacuation centers for people have been established at the North Boulder Recreation Center, 3170 Broadway in Boulder, and Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 in Nederland. The Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont, is accepting large animals that are affected by the evacuations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:09 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which is burning in Boulder County. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will have a live briefing for the media at 1 p.m. today to provide updates on the Fourmile Canyon wildfire fire burning in Boulder County. The briefing will be held at the Justice Center, 6th & Canyon, Boulder. Commander Rick Brough is the attending PIO for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. The fire started at approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning on 4-Mile Canyon Rd. near Emerson Gulch. The following roads are closed to traffic: Lefthand Canyon, 4-Mile Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Olde Stage, westbound SH 119 (Boulder Canyon). Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Gold Hill area, at least a 4-mile radius at this time. Evacuation centers are open at the Nederland Community Center and North Boulder Recreation Center. More information will be sent after the 1 p.m. briefing. -> Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:30 a.m. - Sept. 9, 2010 - no change to information posted overnight A media briefing is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Boulder Reservoir, 5565 51st St, Boulder. The location of the media briefings has changed to allow for closer proximity to the Incident Command Center and basecamp for firefighting operations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Some subdivisions to reopen at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 9 The following subdivisions will reopen to residents at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning: * Boulder Heights * Pine Brook Hills * Carriage Hills In addition, the areas east of Olde Stage Road and Lee Hill will also reopen to residents. PLEASE NOTE: Residents must stay on alert and be ready to re-evacuate immediately if conditions change. Residents of the area are asked to bring personal identification. Power will remain off in these areas. The remaining evacuated areas remain highly volatile and therefore residents cannot return to their homes. Updated figures: * Over 6,300 acres in the burn area o 20+ miles of fire perimeter * 500 personnel working either on scene or at the Incident Command Center * 70+ engines * 100,000 gallons of fire retardant dropped by air today * $2.1 million has been spent on the fire already ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- School information: * Jamestown School will reopen tomorrow * Gold Hill classes will be temporarily held at Foothills Elementary in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sherrif's Office asks that people remain patient and follow current evacuation orders in order to help focus on the fire itself. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:52 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - One home has been removed from the list of structures destroyed in the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. The list now stands at 139 after the removal of 280 Mountain King Road. www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:58 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive remains closed. There has been no change to any road closure information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:17 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office has provided a list of 140 structures that have been destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire: www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - For families affected by the Fourmile Canyon fire and related mountain school closures, Boulder Public Library offers board games for school-aged children and their families at the Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Visit the library’s South Pulse Point for Apples to Apples, Monopoly, and much more. Families are welcome from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information: Boulder Public Library Youth Services, 303-441-3099. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The sheriff's office has issued a release about the emergency alert system problems that have been encountered during this fire. See it here: http://www.bouldercounty.org/sheriff/press/prlist.htm 4:08 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Updated map of the burn area and evacuation perimeter: www.bouldercounty.org/bocc/FourMileFireWebPerimeter.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:59 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County is asking that all residents who have been evacuated due to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire please contact the county. Go to www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2300&zoneid=1 for details. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:45 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - A community meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Coors Events Center on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder. The meeting is intended to inform residents about the initial response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, ongoing firefighting activates, and to provide resources through the Red Cross such as victim advocates and insurance and emergency shelter information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:39 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County has established a victim assistance center for people affected by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. 3482 N. Broadway in Boulder or call 303-441-3560. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:38 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Farmer's Insurance will set up a mobile claims center from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:31 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - People who wish to make donations or volunteer are asked to dial 211 or call 866-760-6489. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. Please do not drop off donations at local fire facilities. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:26 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County Public Health continues to urge residents to stay inside due to smoke from the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Visit www.BoulderCountyAir.org for more information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:58 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive is closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is providing this information to residents who have been affected by the fire. The addresses listed below are of houses that the Sheriff's Office has identified as destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon Fire. These addresses were determined from only 5-10% of the burned area, as that is the only area that could be safely surveyed today. Some parts of the burned area are more densely populated than others. In most cases, Sheriff’s deputies were able to identify addresses by the homes' mailboxes, some of which are grouped with other mailboxes, so while we intend this to be an accurate list of addresses, we are working under difficult conditions in determining the actual address of each home. We will continue to post more information as it becomes available following additional investigative work on Wednesday. Street or Road Street # Dixon 515 Dixon 698 Dixon 997 Dixon 1270 Emerson Gulch Rd. 560 Emerson Gulch Rd. 756 Emerson Gulch Rd. 1059 Emerson Gulch Rd. 100-B Fourmile Canyon 6060 Fourmile Canyon 6130 Melvina Hill Rd. 450 Melvina Hill Rd. 589 Melvina Hill Rd. 611 Melvina Hill Rd. 805 Melvina Hill Rd. 849 Melvina Hill Rd. 1005 Melvina Hill Rd. 1081 Melvina Hill Rd. 1103 Melvina Hill Rd. 1112 Melvina Hill Rd. 1403 Melvina Hill Rd. 1446 Nancy Mine Rd. 280 Nancy Mine Rd. 833 Nancy Mine Rd. 959-B Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5387 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5546 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5595 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5657 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5695 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5779 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5810 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5841 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5847 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5860 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5879 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5881 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6095 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6101 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6138 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6191 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6297 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6299 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6301 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6305 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6309 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6317 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6319 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6601 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6801 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7875 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7878 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:36 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The next media briefing will be at 9 a.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, located at 6th Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:03 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The current evacuation area has not changed and includes: - the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway - west of Highway 36 - south of Lefthand Canyon Rd - north of Boulder Canyon - along Sugarloaf Rd - There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. The current list of road updates also has not changed and is as follows: - Boulder Canyon is open - Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown - Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet - Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:21 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: A map of the fire and evacuation perimeters as of 12:30 p.m. today has been posted at the following URL: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Communication/fourmile/Four_Mile_Fire_Web_Perimeter_1230.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:11 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: Small pets are allowed at the shelter at the Boulder YMCA, 2850 Mapleton Ave. They will be housed away from people, but pet owners can visit with their pets, walk them outside, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:50 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: City Manager Jane Brautigam has ordered the closure of Boulder Reservoir to the public starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, until further notice. The city property will be used to shelter firefighters who are working the Fourmile Canyon wildfire in Boulder County. Emergency crews will be allowed to utilize camping equipment for the duration of the closure. The public will not be allowed access to the Reservoir during this time. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists and all vehicles through all entry points. The Boulder Reservoir location was chosen because of its proximity to the Incident Command Post at the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center. “We know the Boulder Reservoir is a popular destination this time of year, but this closure is necessary to help the courageous firefighting crews who are working this very difficult situation,” Brautigam said. “As a city, our hearts go out to our neighbors who have lost their homes, and we are pleased to be able to provide whatever support we can to the emergency personnel on the front lines." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:34 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials provided updated information about the Fourmile Canyon wildfire at a press briefing at 4 p.m. today. An additional news briefing will be held today at 8 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. No injuries or deaths as a result of the fire have been reported. The Fourmile Canyon wildfire has grown to at least 7,100 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of more than 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. Teams are on site to catalog burned structures and to investigate the fire’s cause and origin. More than 200 firefighters, from at least 35 local, regional and national agencies are working to contain the active fire. Eight air tankers and three helicopters joined the effort. Due to a thick inversion layer limiting visibility, air tankers were unable take off Tuesday morning, but dropped more than 90,000 gallons of fire retardant later in the day. Communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive, west of Olde Stage Road and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119) will remain evacuated until further notice. Residents will be informed when any evacuations have been lifted. The emergency shelter at the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder is closed. A new overnight emergency shelter has opened at the Boulder YMCA located at 2850 Mapleton Ave. Food, water and insurance resources will be available courtesy of the American Red Cross. Boulder County will have animal control officers on scene conducting animal evacuations when site access becomes available. Animal evacuation information can be obtained by calling 720-564-2942. An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire. Residents are asked to contact the call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 unless there is an emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:59 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mountain school information for Wednesday, Sept. 8: Nederland Middle/Senior High School, open; Nederland Elementary School, open; Gold Hill Elementary School, closed; Jamestown Elementary School, closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:30 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Xcel Energy estimates that approximately 2,000 customers are without electricity in the Fourmile Canyon fire area. As the fire grew on Monday, crews shut off service to sections of the distribution power grid to reduce danger. Xcel is attempting to gain access to the fire zone in order to ensure gas service is shut off, to assess the damage to its facilities, and to begin restoration. Xcel Energy has crews surrounding the fire area ready to begin work as soon as conditions are safe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:10 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: People who wish to make donations are asked to call 2-1-1. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:20 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The shelter at the Coors Event Center will close at 5 p.m. A shelter at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. will open at 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:58 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - To volunteer during the Fourmile Canyon wildfire situation, please call Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904 or email services@volunteerconnection.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Specific volunteer needs are still being assessed at this time, but a list of potential volunteers and their contact information is being compiled. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:05 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - For those wilth insurance claims and questions, Allstate and State Farm have set up booths at the shelter at the Coors Event Center on the CU campus in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:30a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The Learning Lab at the Main Boulder Public Library is equipped with eight computers and reserved for people affected by the fire. Ask at the Main Library information desk to be admitted. The Learning Lab will be staffed by a librarian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:18 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The next press briefing will be at noon at the Boulder County Justice Center at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. Another briefing is scheduled for 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:27 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mail to Lefthand Canyon is not being delivered due to the fire. Lefthand Canyon mail customers are asked to pick up their mail at the Jamestown Post Office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:57 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - A new incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:41 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials will be on hand to update the public and media on the status of the Fourmile Canyon Fire at a briefing scheduled for 9 a.m. Mountain time Tuesday at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. So far, no injuries as a result of the fire have been reported. Up-to-date information about the size of the fire, its movement overnight, personnel and equipment involved in fighting the fire, evacuation status and tactical plans for the day will be discussed at the briefing, among other information. The Fourmile Canyon Fire is at least 3,500 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. There have been no evacuations within the city limits of Boulder. The evacuation area includes communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119). Twelve people spent Monday night in the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. All other emergency shelters were closed because evacuated residents had made arrangements to stay with friends or family in the area, according to Red Cross officials. More than 100 firefighters manning 35 engines from 30 local agencies worked to contain the fast-moving, wind-blown fire on Monday. Three aircraft also joined the fight flying 18 sorties and dropping 40,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire. Additional aircraft are expected to join the effort on Tuesday. Boulder Canyon Drive reopened to traffic Monday evening, however, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road remain closed. Additionally, Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are open from U.S. Highway 36 to Jamestown. Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Lee Hill Drive and Lick Skillet Road. The Boulder Valley School District also announced that all mountain schools will be closed Tuesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:33 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Road updates: Boulder Canyon is open Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Fire crews from approximately 30 local agencies continue to battle the Four Mile Canyon Fire that has burned 3,500 acres and multiple structures. Crews are engaged in “point protection” which includes protecting structures, clearing defensible space around threatened structures, and direct fire suppression. Approximately 3,000 residents are in the evacuation areas. The Four Mile Canyon Fire is a wind driven fire burning in steep, rocky, and hard to access terrain west and north of the City of Boulder. Requests for state and federal assistance have been requested. A total of 100 firefighters and 35 engines are currently working the Four Mile Canyon Fire with additional resources available and responding. Aviation resources were able to assist today after the winds calmed down. An estimated 40,000 gallons of retardant were utilized within the fire area today to assist in firefighting operations. Air operations stopped at nightfall and will resume first thing on Tuesday morning. The current evacuation area includes: the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway west of Highway 36 south of Lefthand Canyon Rd north of Boulder Canyon along Sugarloaf Rd There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - There will be a press briefing at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Press briefing at 8:30 at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:51 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Boulder Valley Humane Society is no longer accepting animals. Longmont Humane Society still has space and will be open throughout the night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:46 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - The Nederland Community Center evaculation center is closed. All evacuees who were at the shelter have been accomodated. Anyone trying to go to Boulder from Nederland should use Coal Creek, and not try to travel through Boulder Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:40 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - There has been some confusion about the call center number. The incident call center can be reached at 303-413-7737. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The winds have died down, allowing aircraft to get up and running. There are currently three air tankers operating over the wildfire: one single-engine tanker with a 799-gallon capacity and two heavy tankers with a 2,300-gallon capacity each. In addition, two other planes are in the air, assisting them. The tankers are dropping retardant and then returning to Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to refill, with an estimated 20-minute turnaround time. They will operate until it is too dark to do so. In addition, four more heavy air tankers have been ordered from Boise, Idaho. They are expected to arrive this evening and stage at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport until tomorrow morning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The campground at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont is open for recreational vehicles. There are approximately 25 sites open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Electrical and sewer hookup available. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:47 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Evacuation area has been expanded from Sugar Loaf Road to the Peak to Peak Highway. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: This is the most comprehensive list of residential areas that have been ordered to evacuate as a result of the wildfire: all homes within a 3-mile radius of Gold Hill; the Mountain Meadows subdivision; the Sierra Antigua subdivision; Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines; Pine Brook; Boulder Heights; Whispering Pines; Mile marker 3 Sugarloaf to Boulder Canyon; and Lickskillet west to Sawmill. Again, the emergency alert system is not working properly. Residents in these areas should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The emergency alert notification system is not working properly. Residents in the evacuation area should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The incident call center at 303-413-7737 is taking information from pet owners who are concerned about animals still in the fire area. No rescues of pets are possible at this time; however, animal control officials are monitoring the situation and will start going in, using the central list, as soon as it is safe to do so. The fire is currently estimated at 3,000 acres. There are about 100 firefighters on the perimeter at this time. More resources have been requested. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Whispering Pines in addition to previous neighborhoods. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Boulder County Public Health has issued the following advisory: Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Keep windows and doors closed, unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Additional mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Sugarloaf Mountain, Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. These mandatory evacuations join the previous ones within the original area of Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:55 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Longmont Humane Society at 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont has opened and is also accepting small animals: dogs, cats and other small mammals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Fourmile Canyon wildfire is now estimated at 2,200 acres. Two air tankers are on standby at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, but because of wind conditions, they cannot take off at this time. Residents are being asked to stay out of the area so that fire crews and equipment can continue to make their way to the fire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:25 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation area has been expanded to include several hundred homes in Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. Additional road closures have been ordered to include Linden Drive, west of the city limit, and Lee Hill at Wagon Wheel Gap and Lefthand at Lee Hill Drive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is providing temporary shelter to dogs, cats and small mammals displaced from their homes due to the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. Staff will be at the shelter at 2323 55th St. in Boulder until 5 p.m. to meet families and take in animals. After 5 p.m., pet owners should contact dispatch at 303-441-3333 to make arrangements for an animal care and control officer to meet them at the shelter. More information about small animal care and shelter during this emergency is available at www.boulderhumane.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: A media briefing will be held at 3:15 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation zone at this time is from Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. The fire is believed to have originated in Emerson Gulch. No cause has been determined. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Firefighters closest to the scene are reporting that about 200 acres are affected at this time, and the fire is threatening about 100 structures. They are especially focused on evacuating homes in Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines at this time. Dispatch has used the emergency alert system to contact more than 2,500 phone numbers to notify residents of the situation and evacuation requests. A third evacuation center has been opened at New Vista High School at 20th and Baseline Road in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:45 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7737 instead of calling 9-1-1 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. No city residents have been asked to evacuate at this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The sheriff's office has called for evacuations in the area of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Residents are being notified through the emergency alert system. Evacuation centers for people have been established at the North Boulder Recreation Center, 3170 Broadway in Boulder, and Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 in Nederland. The Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont, is accepting large animals that are affected by the evacuations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:09 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which is burning in Boulder County. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will have a live briefing for the media at 1 p.m. today to provide updates on the Fourmile Canyon wildfire fire burning in Boulder County. The briefing will be held at the Justice Center, 6th & Canyon, Boulder. Commander Rick Brough is the attending PIO for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. The fire started at approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning on 4-Mile Canyon Rd. near Emerson Gulch. The following roads are closed to traffic: Lefthand Canyon, 4-Mile Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Olde Stage, westbound SH 119 (Boulder Canyon). Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Gold Hill area, at least a 4-mile radius at this time. Evacuation centers are open at the Nederland Community Center and North Boulder Recreation Center. More information will be sent after the 1 p.m. briefing.

name: Boulder Office of Emergency Management (SitRep/Status Updates/Text Alerts) -> Emergency Management, EMA - Boulder Office (SitRep/Status Updates/Text Alerts)

notes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:26 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County Public Health continues to urge residents to stay inside due to smoke from the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Visit www.BoulderCountyAir.org for more information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:58 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive is closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is providing this information to residents who have been affected by the fire. The addresses listed below are of houses that the Sheriff's Office has identified as destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon Fire. These addresses were determined from only 5-10% of the burned area, as that is the only area that could be safely surveyed today. Some parts of the burned area are more densely populated than others. In most cases, Sheriff’s deputies were able to identify addresses by the homes' mailboxes, some of which are grouped with other mailboxes, so while we intend this to be an accurate list of addresses, we are working under difficult conditions in determining the actual address of each home. We will continue to post more information as it becomes available following additional investigative work on Wednesday. Street or Road Street # Dixon 515 Dixon 698 Dixon 997 Dixon 1270 Emerson Gulch Rd. 560 Emerson Gulch Rd. 756 Emerson Gulch Rd. 1059 Emerson Gulch Rd. 100-B Fourmile Canyon 6060 Fourmile Canyon 6130 Melvina Hill Rd. 450 Melvina Hill Rd. 589 Melvina Hill Rd. 611 Melvina Hill Rd. 805 Melvina Hill Rd. 849 Melvina Hill Rd. 1005 Melvina Hill Rd. 1081 Melvina Hill Rd. 1103 Melvina Hill Rd. 1112 Melvina Hill Rd. 1403 Melvina Hill Rd. 1446 Nancy Mine Rd. 280 Nancy Mine Rd. 833 Nancy Mine Rd. 959-B Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5387 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5546 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5595 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5657 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5695 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5779 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5810 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5841 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5847 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5860 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5879 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5881 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6095 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6101 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6138 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6191 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6297 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6299 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6301 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6305 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6309 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6317 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6319 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6601 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6801 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7875 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7878 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:36 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The next media briefing will be at 9 a.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, located at 6th Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:03 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The current evacuation area has not changed and includes: - the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway - west of Highway 36 - south of Lefthand Canyon Rd - north of Boulder Canyon - along Sugarloaf Rd - There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. The current list of road updates also has not changed and is as follows: - Boulder Canyon is open - Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown - Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet - Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:21 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: A map of the fire and evacuation perimeters as of 12:30 p.m. today has been posted at the following URL: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Communication/fourmile/Four_Mile_Fire_Web_Perimeter_1230.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:11 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: Small pets are allowed at the shelter at the Boulder YMCA, 2850 Mapleton Ave. They will be housed away from people, but pet owners can visit with their pets, walk them outside, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:50 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: City Manager Jane Brautigam has ordered the closure of Boulder Reservoir to the public starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, until further notice. The city property will be used to shelter firefighters who are working the Fourmile Canyon wildfire in Boulder County. Emergency crews will be allowed to utilize camping equipment for the duration of the closure. The public will not be allowed access to the Reservoir during this time. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists and all vehicles through all entry points. The Boulder Reservoir location was chosen because of its proximity to the Incident Command Post at the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center. “We know the Boulder Reservoir is a popular destination this time of year, but this closure is necessary to help the courageous firefighting crews who are working this very difficult situation,” Brautigam said. “As a city, our hearts go out to our neighbors who have lost their homes, and we are pleased to be able to provide whatever support we can to the emergency personnel on the front lines." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:34 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials provided updated information about the Fourmile Canyon wildfire at a press briefing at 4 p.m. today. An additional news briefing will be held today at 8 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. No injuries or deaths as a result of the fire have been reported. The Fourmile Canyon wildfire has grown to at least 7,100 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of more than 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. Teams are on site to catalog burned structures and to investigate the fire’s cause and origin. More than 200 firefighters, from at least 35 local, regional and national agencies are working to contain the active fire. Eight air tankers and three helicopters joined the effort. Due to a thick inversion layer limiting visibility, air tankers were unable take off Tuesday morning, but dropped more than 90,000 gallons of fire retardant later in the day. Communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive, west of Olde Stage Road and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119) will remain evacuated until further notice. Residents will be informed when any evacuations have been lifted. The emergency shelter at the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder is closed. A new overnight emergency shelter has opened at the Boulder YMCA located at 2850 Mapleton Ave. Food, water and insurance resources will be available courtesy of the American Red Cross. Boulder County will have animal control officers on scene conducting animal evacuations when site access becomes available. Animal evacuation information can be obtained by calling 720-564-2942. An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire. Residents are asked to contact the call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 unless there is an emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:59 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mountain school information for Wednesday, Sept. 8: Nederland Middle/Senior High School, open; Nederland Elementary School, open; Gold Hill Elementary School, closed; Jamestown Elementary School, closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:30 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Xcel Energy estimates that approximately 2,000 customers are without electricity in the Fourmile Canyon fire area. As the fire grew on Monday, crews shut off service to sections of the distribution power grid to reduce danger. Xcel is attempting to gain access to the fire zone in order to ensure gas service is shut off, to assess the damage to its facilities, and to begin restoration. Xcel Energy has crews surrounding the fire area ready to begin work as soon as conditions are safe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:10 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: People who wish to make donations are asked to call 2-1-1. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:20 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The shelter at the Coors Event Center will close at 5 p.m. A shelter at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. will open at 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:58 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - To volunteer during the Fourmile Canyon wildfire situation, please call Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904 or email services@volunteerconnection.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Specific volunteer needs are still being assessed at this time, but a list of potential volunteers and their contact information is being compiled. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:05 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - For those wilth insurance claims and questions, Allstate and State Farm have set up booths at the shelter at the Coors Event Center on the CU campus in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:30a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The Learning Lab at the Main Boulder Public Library is equipped with eight computers and reserved for people affected by the fire. Ask at the Main Library information desk to be admitted. The Learning Lab will be staffed by a librarian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:18 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The next press briefing will be at noon at the Boulder County Justice Center at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. Another briefing is scheduled for 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:27 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mail to Lefthand Canyon is not being delivered due to the fire. Lefthand Canyon mail customers are asked to pick up their mail at the Jamestown Post Office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:57 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - A new incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:41 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials will be on hand to update the public and media on the status of the Fourmile Canyon Fire at a briefing scheduled for 9 a.m. Mountain time Tuesday at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. So far, no injuries as a result of the fire have been reported. Up-to-date information about the size of the fire, its movement overnight, personnel and equipment involved in fighting the fire, evacuation status and tactical plans for the day will be discussed at the briefing, among other information. The Fourmile Canyon Fire is at least 3,500 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. There have been no evacuations within the city limits of Boulder. The evacuation area includes communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119). Twelve people spent Monday night in the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. All other emergency shelters were closed because evacuated residents had made arrangements to stay with friends or family in the area, according to Red Cross officials. More than 100 firefighters manning 35 engines from 30 local agencies worked to contain the fast-moving, wind-blown fire on Monday. Three aircraft also joined the fight flying 18 sorties and dropping 40,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire. Additional aircraft are expected to join the effort on Tuesday. Boulder Canyon Drive reopened to traffic Monday evening, however, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road remain closed. Additionally, Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are open from U.S. Highway 36 to Jamestown. Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Lee Hill Drive and Lick Skillet Road. The Boulder Valley School District also announced that all mountain schools will be closed Tuesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:33 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Road updates: Boulder Canyon is open Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Fire crews from approximately 30 local agencies continue to battle the Four Mile Canyon Fire that has burned 3,500 acres and multiple structures. Crews are engaged in “point protection” which includes protecting structures, clearing defensible space around threatened structures, and direct fire suppression. Approximately 3,000 residents are in the evacuation areas. The Four Mile Canyon Fire is a wind driven fire burning in steep, rocky, and hard to access terrain west and north of the City of Boulder. Requests for state and federal assistance have been requested. A total of 100 firefighters and 35 engines are currently working the Four Mile Canyon Fire with additional resources available and responding. Aviation resources were able to assist today after the winds calmed down. An estimated 40,000 gallons of retardant were utilized within the fire area today to assist in firefighting operations. Air operations stopped at nightfall and will resume first thing on Tuesday morning. The current evacuation area includes: the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway west of Highway 36 south of Lefthand Canyon Rd north of Boulder Canyon along Sugarloaf Rd There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - There will be a press briefing at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Press briefing at 8:30 at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:51 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Boulder Valley Humane Society is no longer accepting animals. Longmont Humane Society still has space and will be open throughout the night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:46 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - The Nederland Community Center evaculation center is closed. All evacuees who were at the shelter have been accomodated. Anyone trying to go to Boulder from Nederland should use Coal Creek, and not try to travel through Boulder Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:40 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - There has been some confusion about the call center number. The incident call center can be reached at 303-413-7737. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The winds have died down, allowing aircraft to get up and running. There are currently three air tankers operating over the wildfire: one single-engine tanker with a 799-gallon capacity and two heavy tankers with a 2,300-gallon capacity each. In addition, two other planes are in the air, assisting them. The tankers are dropping retardant and then returning to Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to refill, with an estimated 20-minute turnaround time. They will operate until it is too dark to do so. In addition, four more heavy air tankers have been ordered from Boise, Idaho. They are expected to arrive this evening and stage at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport until tomorrow morning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The campground at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont is open for recreational vehicles. There are approximately 25 sites open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Electrical and sewer hookup available. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:47 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Evacuation area has been expanded from Sugar Loaf Road to the Peak to Peak Highway. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: This is the most comprehensive list of residential areas that have been ordered to evacuate as a result of the wildfire: all homes within a 3-mile radius of Gold Hill; the Mountain Meadows subdivision; the Sierra Antigua subdivision; Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines; Pine Brook; Boulder Heights; Whispering Pines; Mile marker 3 Sugarloaf to Boulder Canyon; and Lickskillet west to Sawmill. Again, the emergency alert system is not working properly. Residents in these areas should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The emergency alert notification system is not working properly. Residents in the evacuation area should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The incident call center at 303-413-7737 is taking information from pet owners who are concerned about animals still in the fire area. No rescues of pets are possible at this time; however, animal control officials are monitoring the situation and will start going in, using the central list, as soon as it is safe to do so. The fire is currently estimated at 3,000 acres. There are about 100 firefighters on the perimeter at this time. More resources have been requested. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Whispering Pines in addition to previous neighborhoods. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Boulder County Public Health has issued the following advisory: Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Keep windows and doors closed, unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Additional mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Sugarloaf Mountain, Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. These mandatory evacuations join the previous ones within the original area of Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:55 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Longmont Humane Society at 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont has opened and is also accepting small animals: dogs, cats and other small mammals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Fourmile Canyon wildfire is now estimated at 2,200 acres. Two air tankers are on standby at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, but because of wind conditions, they cannot take off at this time. Residents are being asked to stay out of the area so that fire crews and equipment can continue to make their way to the fire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:25 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation area has been expanded to include several hundred homes in Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. Additional road closures have been ordered to include Linden Drive, west of the city limit, and Lee Hill at Wagon Wheel Gap and Lefthand at Lee Hill Drive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is providing temporary shelter to dogs, cats and small mammals displaced from their homes due to the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. Staff will be at the shelter at 2323 55th St. in Boulder until 5 p.m. to meet families and take in animals. After 5 p.m., pet owners should contact dispatch at 303-441-3333 to make arrangements for an animal care and control officer to meet them at the shelter. More information about small animal care and shelter during this emergency is available at www.boulderhumane.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: A media briefing will be held at 3:15 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation zone at this time is from Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. The fire is believed to have originated in Emerson Gulch. No cause has been determined. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Firefighters closest to the scene are reporting that about 200 acres are affected at this time, and the fire is threatening about 100 structures. They are especially focused on evacuating homes in Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines at this time. Dispatch has used the emergency alert system to contact more than 2,500 phone numbers to notify residents of the situation and evacuation requests. A third evacuation center has been opened at New Vista High School at 20th and Baseline Road in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:45 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7737 instead of calling 9-1-1 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. No city residents have been asked to evacuate at this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The sheriff's office has called for evacuations in the area of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Residents are being notified through the emergency alert system. Evacuation centers for people have been established at the North Boulder Recreation Center, 3170 Broadway in Boulder, and Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 in Nederland. The Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont, is accepting large animals that are affected by the evacuations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:09 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which is burning in Boulder County. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will have a live briefing for the media at 1 p.m. today to provide updates on the Fourmile Canyon wildfire fire burning in Boulder County. The briefing will be held at the Justice Center, 6th & Canyon, Boulder. Commander Rick Brough is the attending PIO for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. The fire started at approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning on 4-Mile Canyon Rd. near Emerson Gulch. The following roads are closed to traffic: Lefthand Canyon, 4-Mile Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Olde Stage, westbound SH 119 (Boulder Canyon). Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Gold Hill area, at least a 4-mile radius at this time. Evacuation centers are open at the Nederland Community Center and North Boulder Recreation Center. More information will be sent after the 1 p.m. briefing. -> Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Some subdivisions to reopen at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 9 The following subdivisions will reopen to residents at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning: * Boulder Heights * Pine Brook Hills * Carriage Hills In addition, the areas east of Olde Stage Road and Lee Hill will also reopen to residents. PLEASE NOTE: Residents must stay on alert and be ready to re-evacuate immediately if conditions change. Residents of the area are asked to bring personal identification. Power will remain off in these areas. The remaining evacuated areas remain highly volatile and therefore residents cannot return to their homes. Updated figures: * Over 6,300 acres in the burn area o 20+ miles of fire perimeter * 500 personnel working either on scene or at the Incident Command Center * 70+ engines * 100,000 gallons of fire retardant dropped by air today * $2.1 million has been spent on the fire already ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- School information: * Jamestown School will reopen tomorrow * Gold Hill classes will be temporarily held at Foothills Elementary in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sherrif's Office asks that people remain patient and follow current evacuation orders in order to help focus on the fire itself. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:52 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - One home has been removed from the list of structures destroyed in the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. The list now stands at 139 after the removal of 280 Mountain King Road. www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:58 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive remains closed. There has been no change to any road closure information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:17 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office has provided a list of 140 structures that have been destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire: www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2297&zoneid=1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:15 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - For families affected by the Fourmile Canyon fire and related mountain school closures, Boulder Public Library offers board games for school-aged children and their families at the Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. Visit the library’s South Pulse Point for Apples to Apples, Monopoly, and much more. Families are welcome from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. For more information: Boulder Public Library Youth Services, 303-441-3099. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - The sheriff's office has issued a release about the emergency alert system problems that have been encountered during this fire. See it here: http://www.bouldercounty.org/sheriff/press/prlist.htm 4:08 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Updated map of the burn area and evacuation perimeter: www.bouldercounty.org/bocc/FourMileFireWebPerimeter.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:59 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County is asking that all residents who have been evacuated due to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire please contact the county. Go to www.bouldercounty.org/newsroom/templates/bocodefault.aspx?articleid=2300&zoneid=1 for details. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:45 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - A community meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Coors Events Center on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder. The meeting is intended to inform residents about the initial response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, ongoing firefighting activates, and to provide resources through the Red Cross such as victim advocates and insurance and emergency shelter information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:39 p.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County has established a victim assistance center for people affected by the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. 3482 N. Broadway in Boulder or call 303-441-3560. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:38 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Farmer's Insurance will set up a mobile claims center from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:31 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - People who wish to make donations or volunteer are asked to dial 211 or call 866-760-6489. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. Please do not drop off donations at local fire facilities. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:26 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County Public Health continues to urge residents to stay inside due to smoke from the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Visit www.BoulderCountyAir.org for more information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:58 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive is closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is providing this information to residents who have been affected by the fire. The addresses listed below are of houses that the Sheriff's Office has identified as destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon Fire. These addresses were determined from only 5-10% of the burned area, as that is the only area that could be safely surveyed today. Some parts of the burned area are more densely populated than others. In most cases, Sheriff’s deputies were able to identify addresses by the homes' mailboxes, some of which are grouped with other mailboxes, so while we intend this to be an accurate list of addresses, we are working under difficult conditions in determining the actual address of each home. We will continue to post more information as it becomes available following additional investigative work on Wednesday. Street or Road Street # Dixon 515 Dixon 698 Dixon 997 Dixon 1270 Emerson Gulch Rd. 560 Emerson Gulch Rd. 756 Emerson Gulch Rd. 1059 Emerson Gulch Rd. 100-B Fourmile Canyon 6060 Fourmile Canyon 6130 Melvina Hill Rd. 450 Melvina Hill Rd. 589 Melvina Hill Rd. 611 Melvina Hill Rd. 805 Melvina Hill Rd. 849 Melvina Hill Rd. 1005 Melvina Hill Rd. 1081 Melvina Hill Rd. 1103 Melvina Hill Rd. 1112 Melvina Hill Rd. 1403 Melvina Hill Rd. 1446 Nancy Mine Rd. 280 Nancy Mine Rd. 833 Nancy Mine Rd. 959-B Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5387 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5546 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5595 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5657 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5695 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5779 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5810 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5841 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5847 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5860 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5879 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5881 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6095 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6101 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6138 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6191 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6297 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6299 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6301 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6305 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6309 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6317 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6319 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6601 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6801 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7875 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7878 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:36 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The next media briefing will be at 9 a.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, located at 6th Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:03 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The current evacuation area has not changed and includes: - the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway - west of Highway 36 - south of Lefthand Canyon Rd - north of Boulder Canyon - along Sugarloaf Rd - There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. The current list of road updates also has not changed and is as follows: - Boulder Canyon is open - Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown - Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet - Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:21 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: A map of the fire and evacuation perimeters as of 12:30 p.m. today has been posted at the following URL: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Communication/fourmile/Four_Mile_Fire_Web_Perimeter_1230.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:11 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: Small pets are allowed at the shelter at the Boulder YMCA, 2850 Mapleton Ave. They will be housed away from people, but pet owners can visit with their pets, walk them outside, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:50 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: City Manager Jane Brautigam has ordered the closure of Boulder Reservoir to the public starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, until further notice. The city property will be used to shelter firefighters who are working the Fourmile Canyon wildfire in Boulder County. Emergency crews will be allowed to utilize camping equipment for the duration of the closure. The public will not be allowed access to the Reservoir during this time. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists and all vehicles through all entry points. The Boulder Reservoir location was chosen because of its proximity to the Incident Command Post at the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center. “We know the Boulder Reservoir is a popular destination this time of year, but this closure is necessary to help the courageous firefighting crews who are working this very difficult situation,” Brautigam said. “As a city, our hearts go out to our neighbors who have lost their homes, and we are pleased to be able to provide whatever support we can to the emergency personnel on the front lines." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:34 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials provided updated information about the Fourmile Canyon wildfire at a press briefing at 4 p.m. today. An additional news briefing will be held today at 8 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. No injuries or deaths as a result of the fire have been reported. The Fourmile Canyon wildfire has grown to at least 7,100 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of more than 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. Teams are on site to catalog burned structures and to investigate the fire’s cause and origin. More than 200 firefighters, from at least 35 local, regional and national agencies are working to contain the active fire. Eight air tankers and three helicopters joined the effort. Due to a thick inversion layer limiting visibility, air tankers were unable take off Tuesday morning, but dropped more than 90,000 gallons of fire retardant later in the day. Communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive, west of Olde Stage Road and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119) will remain evacuated until further notice. Residents will be informed when any evacuations have been lifted. The emergency shelter at the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder is closed. A new overnight emergency shelter has opened at the Boulder YMCA located at 2850 Mapleton Ave. Food, water and insurance resources will be available courtesy of the American Red Cross. Boulder County will have animal control officers on scene conducting animal evacuations when site access becomes available. Animal evacuation information can be obtained by calling 720-564-2942. An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire. Residents are asked to contact the call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 unless there is an emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:59 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mountain school information for Wednesday, Sept. 8: Nederland Middle/Senior High School, open; Nederland Elementary School, open; Gold Hill Elementary School, closed; Jamestown Elementary School, closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:30 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Xcel Energy estimates that approximately 2,000 customers are without electricity in the Fourmile Canyon fire area. As the fire grew on Monday, crews shut off service to sections of the distribution power grid to reduce danger. Xcel is attempting to gain access to the fire zone in order to ensure gas service is shut off, to assess the damage to its facilities, and to begin restoration. Xcel Energy has crews surrounding the fire area ready to begin work as soon as conditions are safe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:10 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: People who wish to make donations are asked to call 2-1-1. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:20 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The shelter at the Coors Event Center will close at 5 p.m. A shelter at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. will open at 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:58 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - To volunteer during the Fourmile Canyon wildfire situation, please call Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904 or email services@volunteerconnection.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Specific volunteer needs are still being assessed at this time, but a list of potential volunteers and their contact information is being compiled. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:05 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - For those wilth insurance claims and questions, Allstate and State Farm have set up booths at the shelter at the Coors Event Center on the CU campus in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:30a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The Learning Lab at the Main Boulder Public Library is equipped with eight computers and reserved for people affected by the fire. Ask at the Main Library information desk to be admitted. The Learning Lab will be staffed by a librarian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:18 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The next press briefing will be at noon at the Boulder County Justice Center at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. Another briefing is scheduled for 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:27 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mail to Lefthand Canyon is not being delivered due to the fire. Lefthand Canyon mail customers are asked to pick up their mail at the Jamestown Post Office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:57 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - A new incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:41 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials will be on hand to update the public and media on the status of the Fourmile Canyon Fire at a briefing scheduled for 9 a.m. Mountain time Tuesday at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. So far, no injuries as a result of the fire have been reported. Up-to-date information about the size of the fire, its movement overnight, personnel and equipment involved in fighting the fire, evacuation status and tactical plans for the day will be discussed at the briefing, among other information. The Fourmile Canyon Fire is at least 3,500 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. There have been no evacuations within the city limits of Boulder. The evacuation area includes communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119). Twelve people spent Monday night in the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. All other emergency shelters were closed because evacuated residents had made arrangements to stay with friends or family in the area, according to Red Cross officials. More than 100 firefighters manning 35 engines from 30 local agencies worked to contain the fast-moving, wind-blown fire on Monday. Three aircraft also joined the fight flying 18 sorties and dropping 40,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire. Additional aircraft are expected to join the effort on Tuesday. Boulder Canyon Drive reopened to traffic Monday evening, however, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road remain closed. Additionally, Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are open from U.S. Highway 36 to Jamestown. Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Lee Hill Drive and Lick Skillet Road. The Boulder Valley School District also announced that all mountain schools will be closed Tuesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:33 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Road updates: Boulder Canyon is open Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Fire crews from approximately 30 local agencies continue to battle the Four Mile Canyon Fire that has burned 3,500 acres and multiple structures. Crews are engaged in “point protection” which includes protecting structures, clearing defensible space around threatened structures, and direct fire suppression. Approximately 3,000 residents are in the evacuation areas. The Four Mile Canyon Fire is a wind driven fire burning in steep, rocky, and hard to access terrain west and north of the City of Boulder. Requests for state and federal assistance have been requested. A total of 100 firefighters and 35 engines are currently working the Four Mile Canyon Fire with additional resources available and responding. Aviation resources were able to assist today after the winds calmed down. An estimated 40,000 gallons of retardant were utilized within the fire area today to assist in firefighting operations. Air operations stopped at nightfall and will resume first thing on Tuesday morning. The current evacuation area includes: the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway west of Highway 36 south of Lefthand Canyon Rd north of Boulder Canyon along Sugarloaf Rd There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - There will be a press briefing at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Press briefing at 8:30 at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:51 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Boulder Valley Humane Society is no longer accepting animals. Longmont Humane Society still has space and will be open throughout the night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:46 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - The Nederland Community Center evaculation center is closed. All evacuees who were at the shelter have been accomodated. Anyone trying to go to Boulder from Nederland should use Coal Creek, and not try to travel through Boulder Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:40 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - There has been some confusion about the call center number. The incident call center can be reached at 303-413-7737. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The winds have died down, allowing aircraft to get up and running. There are currently three air tankers operating over the wildfire: one single-engine tanker with a 799-gallon capacity and two heavy tankers with a 2,300-gallon capacity each. In addition, two other planes are in the air, assisting them. The tankers are dropping retardant and then returning to Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to refill, with an estimated 20-minute turnaround time. They will operate until it is too dark to do so. In addition, four more heavy air tankers have been ordered from Boise, Idaho. They are expected to arrive this evening and stage at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport until tomorrow morning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The campground at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont is open for recreational vehicles. There are approximately 25 sites open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Electrical and sewer hookup available. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:47 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Evacuation area has been expanded from Sugar Loaf Road to the Peak to Peak Highway. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: This is the most comprehensive list of residential areas that have been ordered to evacuate as a result of the wildfire: all homes within a 3-mile radius of Gold Hill; the Mountain Meadows subdivision; the Sierra Antigua subdivision; Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines; Pine Brook; Boulder Heights; Whispering Pines; Mile marker 3 Sugarloaf to Boulder Canyon; and Lickskillet west to Sawmill. Again, the emergency alert system is not working properly. Residents in these areas should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The emergency alert notification system is not working properly. Residents in the evacuation area should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The incident call center at 303-413-7737 is taking information from pet owners who are concerned about animals still in the fire area. No rescues of pets are possible at this time; however, animal control officials are monitoring the situation and will start going in, using the central list, as soon as it is safe to do so. The fire is currently estimated at 3,000 acres. There are about 100 firefighters on the perimeter at this time. More resources have been requested. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Whispering Pines in addition to previous neighborhoods. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Boulder County Public Health has issued the following advisory: Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Keep windows and doors closed, unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Additional mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Sugarloaf Mountain, Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. These mandatory evacuations join the previous ones within the original area of Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:55 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Longmont Humane Society at 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont has opened and is also accepting small animals: dogs, cats and other small mammals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Fourmile Canyon wildfire is now estimated at 2,200 acres. Two air tankers are on standby at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, but because of wind conditions, they cannot take off at this time. Residents are being asked to stay out of the area so that fire crews and equipment can continue to make their way to the fire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:25 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation area has been expanded to include several hundred homes in Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. Additional road closures have been ordered to include Linden Drive, west of the city limit, and Lee Hill at Wagon Wheel Gap and Lefthand at Lee Hill Drive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is providing temporary shelter to dogs, cats and small mammals displaced from their homes due to the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. Staff will be at the shelter at 2323 55th St. in Boulder until 5 p.m. to meet families and take in animals. After 5 p.m., pet owners should contact dispatch at 303-441-3333 to make arrangements for an animal care and control officer to meet them at the shelter. More information about small animal care and shelter during this emergency is available at www.boulderhumane.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: A media briefing will be held at 3:15 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation zone at this time is from Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. The fire is believed to have originated in Emerson Gulch. No cause has been determined. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Firefighters closest to the scene are reporting that about 200 acres are affected at this time, and the fire is threatening about 100 structures. They are especially focused on evacuating homes in Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines at this time. Dispatch has used the emergency alert system to contact more than 2,500 phone numbers to notify residents of the situation and evacuation requests. A third evacuation center has been opened at New Vista High School at 20th and Baseline Road in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:45 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7737 instead of calling 9-1-1 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. No city residents have been asked to evacuate at this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The sheriff's office has called for evacuations in the area of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Residents are being notified through the emergency alert system. Evacuation centers for people have been established at the North Boulder Recreation Center, 3170 Broadway in Boulder, and Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 in Nederland. The Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont, is accepting large animals that are affected by the evacuations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:09 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which is burning in Boulder County. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will have a live briefing for the media at 1 p.m. today to provide updates on the Fourmile Canyon wildfire fire burning in Boulder County. The briefing will be held at the Justice Center, 6th & Canyon, Boulder. Commander Rick Brough is the attending PIO for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. The fire started at approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning on 4-Mile Canyon Rd. near Emerson Gulch. The following roads are closed to traffic: Lefthand Canyon, 4-Mile Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Olde Stage, westbound SH 119 (Boulder Canyon). Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Gold Hill area, at least a 4-mile radius at this time. Evacuation centers are open at the Nederland Community Center and North Boulder Recreation Center. More information will be sent after the 1 p.m. briefing.

region: -> North Range
mission: The mission of the Boulder Office of Emergency Management is to develop, coordinate and lead a comprehensive emergency management program. We seek to enable effective preparation for, efficient response to, and effective recovery from emergencies and disasters, in order to save lives, reduce human suffering, protect resources and develop a more resilient community. What is emergency management? Emergency Management is the function that plans, coordinates and supports a wide range of activities that help communities to reduce vulnerability to hazards, prepare for and cope with disasters. This work is generally thought of in four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Mitigation consists of those activities designed to prevent or reduce losses from disaster. Preparedness is focused on the development of plans and capabilities for effective disaster response. Response is the immediate reaction to a disaster. Recovery includes activities that help to restore critical community functions and manage reconstruction. The Boulder Office of Emergency Management has emergency management responsibilities for both the City of Boulder and Boulder County. In addition, Boulder OEM coordinates with state and federal partners, many city and county departments, public safety agencies, municipalities, non-governmental organizations and private businesses throughout Boulder County in order to facilitate coordinated planning and response to emergency situations. The most effective emergency management program, however, requires even more than that. The best response includes a prepared and responsive public. Your ability to respond appropriately in an emergency situation is critical to our success and your resilience. In recent years, we have experienced fires, droughts, winter blizzards, and even tornadoes. In addition, the community of Boulder has the greatest flash flood risk in the state of Colorado. This emergency preparedness guide contains practical information to help your family prepare for most disasters that could occur in Boulder County. We know that disaster preparedness works. We hope this guide will encourage you to take action and be prepared in the event of an emergency. -> The mission of the Boulder Office of Emergency Management is to develop, coordinate and lead a comprehensive emergency management program. We seek to enable effective preparation for, efficient response to, and effective recovery from emergencies and disasters, in order to save lives, reduce human suffering, protect resources and develop a more resilient community. What is emergency management? Emergency Management is the function that plans, coordinates and supports a wide range of activities that help communities to reduce vulnerability to hazards, prepare for and cope with disasters. This work is generally thought of in four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Mitigation consists of those activities designed to prevent or reduce losses from disaster. Preparedness is focused on the development of plans and capabilities for effective disaster response. Response is the immediate reaction to a disaster. Recovery includes activities that help to restore critical community functions and manage reconstruction. The Boulder Office of Emergency Management has emergency management responsibilities for both the City of Boulder and Boulder County. In addition, Boulder OEM coordinates with state and federal partners, many city and county departments, public safety agencies, municipalities, non-governmental organizations and private businesses throughout Boulder County in order to facilitate coordinated planning and response to emergency situations. The most effective emergency management program, however, requires even more than that. The best response includes a prepared and responsive public. Your ability to respond appropriately in an emergency situation is critical to our success and your resilience. In recent years, we have experienced fires, droughts, winter blizzards, and even tornadoes. In addition, the community of Boulder has the greatest flash flood risk in the state of Colorado. This emergency preparedness guide contains practical information to help your family prepare for most disasters that could occur in Boulder County. We know that disaster preparedness works. We hope this guide will encourage you to take action and be prepared in the event of an emergency.

mission: The mission of the Boulder Office of Emergency Management is to develop, coordinate and lead a comprehensive emergency management program. We seek to enable effective preparation for, efficient response to, and effective recovery from emergencies and disasters, in order to save lives, reduce human suffering, protect resources and develop a more resilient community. What is emergency management? Emergency Management is the function that plans, coordinates and supports a wide range of activities that help communities to reduce vulnerability to hazards, prepare for and cope with disasters. This work is generally thought of in four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Mitigation consists of those activities designed to prevent or reduce losses from disaster. Preparedness is focused on the development of plans and capabilities for effective disaster response. Response is the immediate reaction to a disaster. Recovery includes activities that help to restore critical community functions and manage reconstruction. The Boulder Office of Emergency Management has emergency management responsibilities for both the City of Boulder and Boulder County. In addition, Boulder OEM coordinates with state and federal partners, many city and county departments, public safety agencies, municipalities, non-governmental organizations and private businesses throughout Boulder County in order to facilitate coordinated planning and response to emergency situations. The most effective emergency management program, however, requires even more than that. The best response includes a prepared and responsive public. Your ability to respond appropriately in an emergency situation is critical to our success and your resilience. In recent years, we have experienced fires, droughts, winter blizzards, and even tornadoes. In addition, the community of Boulder has the greatest flash flood risk in the state of Colorado. This emergency preparedness guide contains practical information to help your family prepare for most disasters that could occur in Boulder County. We know that disaster preparedness works. We hope this guide will encourage you to take action and be prepared in the event of an emergency. -> The mission of the Boulder Office of Emergency Management is to develop, coordinate and lead a comprehensive emergency management program. We seek to enable effective preparation for, efficient response to, and effective recovery from emergencies and disasters, in order to save lives, reduce human suffering, protect resources and develop a more resilient community. What is emergency management? Emergency Management is the function that plans, coordinates and supports a wide range of activities that help communities to reduce vulnerability to hazards, prepare for and cope with disasters. This work is generally thought of in four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Mitigation consists of those activities designed to prevent or reduce losses from disaster. Preparedness is focused on the development of plans and capabilities for effective disaster response. Response is the immediate reaction to a disaster. Recovery includes activities that help to restore critical community functions and manage reconstruction. The Boulder Office of Emergency Management has emergency management responsibilities for both the City of Boulder and Boulder County. In addition, Boulder OEM coordinates with state and federal partners, many city and county departments, public safety agencies, municipalities, non-governmental organizations and private businesses throughout Boulder County in order to facilitate coordinated planning and response to emergency situations. The most effective emergency management program, however, requires even more than that. The best response includes a prepared and responsive public. Your ability to respond appropriately in an emergency situation is critical to our success and your resilience. In recent years, we have experienced fires, droughts, winter blizzards, and even tornadoes. In addition, the community of Boulder has the greatest flash flood risk in the state of Colorado. This emergency preparedness guide contains practical information to help your family prepare for most disasters that could occur in Boulder County. We know that disaster preparedness works. We hope this guide will encourage you to take action and be prepared in the event of an emergency.

main_phone: -> Fax (303) 441 - 3884
address: -> Office of Emergency Management ~ Communications Center and Emergency Operations Center: 3280 Airport Road
zip: 00000 -> 80301
mission: -> The mission of the Boulder Office of Emergency Management is to develop, coordinate and lead a comprehensive emergency management program. We seek to enable effective preparation for, efficient response to, and effective recovery from emergencies and disasters, in order to save lives, reduce human suffering, protect resources and develop a more resilient community. What is emergency management? Emergency Management is the function that plans, coordinates and supports a wide range of activities that help communities to reduce vulnerability to hazards, prepare for and cope with disasters. This work is generally thought of in four phases: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Mitigation consists of those activities designed to prevent or reduce losses from disaster. Preparedness is focused on the development of plans and capabilities for effective disaster response. Response is the immediate reaction to a disaster. Recovery includes activities that help to restore critical community functions and manage reconstruction. The Boulder Office of Emergency Management has emergency management responsibilities for both the City of Boulder and Boulder County. In addition, Boulder OEM coordinates with state and federal partners, many city and county departments, public safety agencies, municipalities, non-governmental organizations and private businesses throughout Boulder County in order to facilitate coordinated planning and response to emergency situations. The most effective emergency management program, however, requires even more than that. The best response includes a prepared and responsive public. Your ability to respond appropriately in an emergency situation is critical to our success and your resilience. In recent years, we have experienced fires, droughts, winter blizzards, and even tornadoes. In addition, the community of Boulder has the greatest flash flood risk in the state of Colorado. This emergency preparedness guide contains practical information to help your family prepare for most disasters that could occur in Boulder County. We know that disaster preparedness works. We hope this guide will encourage you to take action and be prepared in the event of an emergency.

notes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is providing this information to residents who have been affected by the fire. The addresses listed below are of houses that the Sheriff's Office has identified as destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon Fire. These addresses were determined from only 5-10% of the burned area, as that is the only area that could be safely surveyed today. Some parts of the burned area are more densely populated than others. In most cases, Sheriff’s deputies were able to identify addresses by the homes' mailboxes, some of which are grouped with other mailboxes, so while we intend this to be an accurate list of addresses, we are working under difficult conditions in determining the actual address of each home. We will continue to post more information as it becomes available following additional investigative work on Wednesday. Street or Road Street # Dixon 515 Dixon 698 Dixon 997 Dixon 1270 Emerson Gulch Rd. 560 Emerson Gulch Rd. 756 Emerson Gulch Rd. 1059 Emerson Gulch Rd. 100-B Fourmile Canyon 6060 Fourmile Canyon 6130 Melvina Hill Rd. 450 Melvina Hill Rd. 589 Melvina Hill Rd. 611 Melvina Hill Rd. 805 Melvina Hill Rd. 849 Melvina Hill Rd. 1005 Melvina Hill Rd. 1081 Melvina Hill Rd. 1103 Melvina Hill Rd. 1112 Melvina Hill Rd. 1403 Melvina Hill Rd. 1446 Nancy Mine Rd. 280 Nancy Mine Rd. 833 Nancy Mine Rd. 959-B Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5387 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5546 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5595 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5657 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5695 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5779 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5810 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5841 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5847 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5860 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5879 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5881 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6095 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6101 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6138 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6191 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6297 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6299 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6301 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6305 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6309 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6317 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6319 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6601 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6801 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7875 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7878 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:36 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The next media briefing will be at 9 a.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, located at 6th Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:03 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The current evacuation area has not changed and includes: - the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway - west of Highway 36 - south of Lefthand Canyon Rd - north of Boulder Canyon - along Sugarloaf Rd - There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. The current list of road updates also has not changed and is as follows: - Boulder Canyon is open - Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown - Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet - Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:21 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: A map of the fire and evacuation perimeters as of 12:30 p.m. today has been posted at the following URL: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Communication/fourmile/Four_Mile_Fire_Web_Perimeter_1230.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:11 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: Small pets are allowed at the shelter at the Boulder YMCA, 2850 Mapleton Ave. They will be housed away from people, but pet owners can visit with their pets, walk them outside, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:50 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: City Manager Jane Brautigam has ordered the closure of Boulder Reservoir to the public starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, until further notice. The city property will be used to shelter firefighters who are working the Fourmile Canyon wildfire in Boulder County. Emergency crews will be allowed to utilize camping equipment for the duration of the closure. The public will not be allowed access to the Reservoir during this time. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists and all vehicles through all entry points. The Boulder Reservoir location was chosen because of its proximity to the Incident Command Post at the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center. “We know the Boulder Reservoir is a popular destination this time of year, but this closure is necessary to help the courageous firefighting crews who are working this very difficult situation,” Brautigam said. “As a city, our hearts go out to our neighbors who have lost their homes, and we are pleased to be able to provide whatever support we can to the emergency personnel on the front lines." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:34 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials provided updated information about the Fourmile Canyon wildfire at a press briefing at 4 p.m. today. An additional news briefing will be held today at 8 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. No injuries or deaths as a result of the fire have been reported. The Fourmile Canyon wildfire has grown to at least 7,100 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of more than 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. Teams are on site to catalog burned structures and to investigate the fire’s cause and origin. More than 200 firefighters, from at least 35 local, regional and national agencies are working to contain the active fire. Eight air tankers and three helicopters joined the effort. Due to a thick inversion layer limiting visibility, air tankers were unable take off Tuesday morning, but dropped more than 90,000 gallons of fire retardant later in the day. Communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive, west of Olde Stage Road and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119) will remain evacuated until further notice. Residents will be informed when any evacuations have been lifted. The emergency shelter at the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder is closed. A new overnight emergency shelter has opened at the Boulder YMCA located at 2850 Mapleton Ave. Food, water and insurance resources will be available courtesy of the American Red Cross. Boulder County will have animal control officers on scene conducting animal evacuations when site access becomes available. Animal evacuation information can be obtained by calling 720-564-2942. An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire. Residents are asked to contact the call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 unless there is an emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:59 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mountain school information for Wednesday, Sept. 8: Nederland Middle/Senior High School, open; Nederland Elementary School, open; Gold Hill Elementary School, closed; Jamestown Elementary School, closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:30 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Xcel Energy estimates that approximately 2,000 customers are without electricity in the Fourmile Canyon fire area. As the fire grew on Monday, crews shut off service to sections of the distribution power grid to reduce danger. Xcel is attempting to gain access to the fire zone in order to ensure gas service is shut off, to assess the damage to its facilities, and to begin restoration. Xcel Energy has crews surrounding the fire area ready to begin work as soon as conditions are safe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:10 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: People who wish to make donations are asked to call 2-1-1. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:20 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The shelter at the Coors Event Center will close at 5 p.m. A shelter at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. will open at 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:58 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - To volunteer during the Fourmile Canyon wildfire situation, please call Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904 or email services@volunteerconnection.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Specific volunteer needs are still being assessed at this time, but a list of potential volunteers and their contact information is being compiled. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:05 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - For those wilth insurance claims and questions, Allstate and State Farm have set up booths at the shelter at the Coors Event Center on the CU campus in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:30a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The Learning Lab at the Main Boulder Public Library is equipped with eight computers and reserved for people affected by the fire. Ask at the Main Library information desk to be admitted. The Learning Lab will be staffed by a librarian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:18 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The next press briefing will be at noon at the Boulder County Justice Center at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. Another briefing is scheduled for 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:27 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mail to Lefthand Canyon is not being delivered due to the fire. Lefthand Canyon mail customers are asked to pick up their mail at the Jamestown Post Office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:57 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - A new incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:41 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials will be on hand to update the public and media on the status of the Fourmile Canyon Fire at a briefing scheduled for 9 a.m. Mountain time Tuesday at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. So far, no injuries as a result of the fire have been reported. Up-to-date information about the size of the fire, its movement overnight, personnel and equipment involved in fighting the fire, evacuation status and tactical plans for the day will be discussed at the briefing, among other information. The Fourmile Canyon Fire is at least 3,500 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. There have been no evacuations within the city limits of Boulder. The evacuation area includes communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119). Twelve people spent Monday night in the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. All other emergency shelters were closed because evacuated residents had made arrangements to stay with friends or family in the area, according to Red Cross officials. More than 100 firefighters manning 35 engines from 30 local agencies worked to contain the fast-moving, wind-blown fire on Monday. Three aircraft also joined the fight flying 18 sorties and dropping 40,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire. Additional aircraft are expected to join the effort on Tuesday. Boulder Canyon Drive reopened to traffic Monday evening, however, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road remain closed. Additionally, Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are open from U.S. Highway 36 to Jamestown. Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Lee Hill Drive and Lick Skillet Road. The Boulder Valley School District also announced that all mountain schools will be closed Tuesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:33 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Road updates: Boulder Canyon is open Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Fire crews from approximately 30 local agencies continue to battle the Four Mile Canyon Fire that has burned 3,500 acres and multiple structures. Crews are engaged in “point protection” which includes protecting structures, clearing defensible space around threatened structures, and direct fire suppression. Approximately 3,000 residents are in the evacuation areas. The Four Mile Canyon Fire is a wind driven fire burning in steep, rocky, and hard to access terrain west and north of the City of Boulder. Requests for state and federal assistance have been requested. A total of 100 firefighters and 35 engines are currently working the Four Mile Canyon Fire with additional resources available and responding. Aviation resources were able to assist today after the winds calmed down. An estimated 40,000 gallons of retardant were utilized within the fire area today to assist in firefighting operations. Air operations stopped at nightfall and will resume first thing on Tuesday morning. The current evacuation area includes: the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway west of Highway 36 south of Lefthand Canyon Rd north of Boulder Canyon along Sugarloaf Rd There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - There will be a press briefing at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Press briefing at 8:30 at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:51 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Boulder Valley Humane Society is no longer accepting animals. Longmont Humane Society still has space and will be open throughout the night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:46 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - The Nederland Community Center evaculation center is closed. All evacuees who were at the shelter have been accomodated. Anyone trying to go to Boulder from Nederland should use Coal Creek, and not try to travel through Boulder Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:40 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - There has been some confusion about the call center number. The incident call center can be reached at 303-413-7737. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The winds have died down, allowing aircraft to get up and running. There are currently three air tankers operating over the wildfire: one single-engine tanker with a 799-gallon capacity and two heavy tankers with a 2,300-gallon capacity each. In addition, two other planes are in the air, assisting them. The tankers are dropping retardant and then returning to Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to refill, with an estimated 20-minute turnaround time. They will operate until it is too dark to do so. In addition, four more heavy air tankers have been ordered from Boise, Idaho. They are expected to arrive this evening and stage at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport until tomorrow morning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The campground at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont is open for recreational vehicles. There are approximately 25 sites open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Electrical and sewer hookup available. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:47 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Evacuation area has been expanded from Sugar Loaf Road to the Peak to Peak Highway. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: This is the most comprehensive list of residential areas that have been ordered to evacuate as a result of the wildfire: all homes within a 3-mile radius of Gold Hill; the Mountain Meadows subdivision; the Sierra Antigua subdivision; Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines; Pine Brook; Boulder Heights; Whispering Pines; Mile marker 3 Sugarloaf to Boulder Canyon; and Lickskillet west to Sawmill. Again, the emergency alert system is not working properly. Residents in these areas should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The emergency alert notification system is not working properly. Residents in the evacuation area should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The incident call center at 303-413-7737 is taking information from pet owners who are concerned about animals still in the fire area. No rescues of pets are possible at this time; however, animal control officials are monitoring the situation and will start going in, using the central list, as soon as it is safe to do so. The fire is currently estimated at 3,000 acres. There are about 100 firefighters on the perimeter at this time. More resources have been requested. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Whispering Pines in addition to previous neighborhoods. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Boulder County Public Health has issued the following advisory: Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Keep windows and doors closed, unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Additional mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Sugarloaf Mountain, Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. These mandatory evacuations join the previous ones within the original area of Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:55 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Longmont Humane Society at 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont has opened and is also accepting small animals: dogs, cats and other small mammals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Fourmile Canyon wildfire is now estimated at 2,200 acres. Two air tankers are on standby at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, but because of wind conditions, they cannot take off at this time. Residents are being asked to stay out of the area so that fire crews and equipment can continue to make their way to the fire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:25 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation area has been expanded to include several hundred homes in Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. Additional road closures have been ordered to include Linden Drive, west of the city limit, and Lee Hill at Wagon Wheel Gap and Lefthand at Lee Hill Drive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is providing temporary shelter to dogs, cats and small mammals displaced from their homes due to the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. Staff will be at the shelter at 2323 55th St. in Boulder until 5 p.m. to meet families and take in animals. After 5 p.m., pet owners should contact dispatch at 303-441-3333 to make arrangements for an animal care and control officer to meet them at the shelter. More information about small animal care and shelter during this emergency is available at www.boulderhumane.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: A media briefing will be held at 3:15 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation zone at this time is from Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. The fire is believed to have originated in Emerson Gulch. No cause has been determined. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Firefighters closest to the scene are reporting that about 200 acres are affected at this time, and the fire is threatening about 100 structures. They are especially focused on evacuating homes in Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines at this time. Dispatch has used the emergency alert system to contact more than 2,500 phone numbers to notify residents of the situation and evacuation requests. A third evacuation center has been opened at New Vista High School at 20th and Baseline Road in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:45 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7737 instead of calling 9-1-1 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. No city residents have been asked to evacuate at this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The sheriff's office has called for evacuations in the area of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Residents are being notified through the emergency alert system. Evacuation centers for people have been established at the North Boulder Recreation Center, 3170 Broadway in Boulder, and Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 in Nederland. The Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont, is accepting large animals that are affected by the evacuations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:09 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which is burning in Boulder County. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will have a live briefing for the media at 1 p.m. today to provide updates on the Fourmile Canyon wildfire fire burning in Boulder County. The briefing will be held at the Justice Center, 6th & Canyon, Boulder. Commander Rick Brough is the attending PIO for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. The fire started at approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning on 4-Mile Canyon Rd. near Emerson Gulch. The following roads are closed to traffic: Lefthand Canyon, 4-Mile Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Olde Stage, westbound SH 119 (Boulder Canyon). Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Gold Hill area, at least a 4-mile radius at this time. Evacuation centers are open at the Nederland Community Center and North Boulder Recreation Center. More information will be sent after the 1 p.m. briefing. -> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:26 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Boulder County Public Health continues to urge residents to stay inside due to smoke from the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Visit www.BoulderCountyAir.org for more information. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:58 a.m. - Sept. 8, 2010 - Sunshine Canyon Drive is closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is providing this information to residents who have been affected by the fire. The addresses listed below are of houses that the Sheriff's Office has identified as destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon Fire. These addresses were determined from only 5-10% of the burned area, as that is the only area that could be safely surveyed today. Some parts of the burned area are more densely populated than others. In most cases, Sheriff’s deputies were able to identify addresses by the homes' mailboxes, some of which are grouped with other mailboxes, so while we intend this to be an accurate list of addresses, we are working under difficult conditions in determining the actual address of each home. We will continue to post more information as it becomes available following additional investigative work on Wednesday. Street or Road Street # Dixon 515 Dixon 698 Dixon 997 Dixon 1270 Emerson Gulch Rd. 560 Emerson Gulch Rd. 756 Emerson Gulch Rd. 1059 Emerson Gulch Rd. 100-B Fourmile Canyon 6060 Fourmile Canyon 6130 Melvina Hill Rd. 450 Melvina Hill Rd. 589 Melvina Hill Rd. 611 Melvina Hill Rd. 805 Melvina Hill Rd. 849 Melvina Hill Rd. 1005 Melvina Hill Rd. 1081 Melvina Hill Rd. 1103 Melvina Hill Rd. 1112 Melvina Hill Rd. 1403 Melvina Hill Rd. 1446 Nancy Mine Rd. 280 Nancy Mine Rd. 833 Nancy Mine Rd. 959-B Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5387 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5546 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5595 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5657 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5695 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5779 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5810 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5841 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5847 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5860 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5879 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5881 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6095 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6101 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6138 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6191 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6297 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6299 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6301 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6305 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6309 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6317 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6319 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6601 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6801 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7875 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7878 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:36 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The next media briefing will be at 9 a.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, located at 6th Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:03 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The current evacuation area has not changed and includes: - the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway - west of Highway 36 - south of Lefthand Canyon Rd - north of Boulder Canyon - along Sugarloaf Rd - There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. The current list of road updates also has not changed and is as follows: - Boulder Canyon is open - Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown - Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet - Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:21 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: A map of the fire and evacuation perimeters as of 12:30 p.m. today has been posted at the following URL: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Communication/fourmile/Four_Mile_Fire_Web_Perimeter_1230.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:11 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: Small pets are allowed at the shelter at the Boulder YMCA, 2850 Mapleton Ave. They will be housed away from people, but pet owners can visit with their pets, walk them outside, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:50 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: City Manager Jane Brautigam has ordered the closure of Boulder Reservoir to the public starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, until further notice. The city property will be used to shelter firefighters who are working the Fourmile Canyon wildfire in Boulder County. Emergency crews will be allowed to utilize camping equipment for the duration of the closure. The public will not be allowed access to the Reservoir during this time. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists and all vehicles through all entry points. The Boulder Reservoir location was chosen because of its proximity to the Incident Command Post at the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center. “We know the Boulder Reservoir is a popular destination this time of year, but this closure is necessary to help the courageous firefighting crews who are working this very difficult situation,” Brautigam said. “As a city, our hearts go out to our neighbors who have lost their homes, and we are pleased to be able to provide whatever support we can to the emergency personnel on the front lines." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:34 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials provided updated information about the Fourmile Canyon wildfire at a press briefing at 4 p.m. today. An additional news briefing will be held today at 8 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. No injuries or deaths as a result of the fire have been reported. The Fourmile Canyon wildfire has grown to at least 7,100 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of more than 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. Teams are on site to catalog burned structures and to investigate the fire’s cause and origin. More than 200 firefighters, from at least 35 local, regional and national agencies are working to contain the active fire. Eight air tankers and three helicopters joined the effort. Due to a thick inversion layer limiting visibility, air tankers were unable take off Tuesday morning, but dropped more than 90,000 gallons of fire retardant later in the day. Communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive, west of Olde Stage Road and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119) will remain evacuated until further notice. Residents will be informed when any evacuations have been lifted. The emergency shelter at the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder is closed. A new overnight emergency shelter has opened at the Boulder YMCA located at 2850 Mapleton Ave. Food, water and insurance resources will be available courtesy of the American Red Cross. Boulder County will have animal control officers on scene conducting animal evacuations when site access becomes available. Animal evacuation information can be obtained by calling 720-564-2942. An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire. Residents are asked to contact the call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 unless there is an emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:59 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mountain school information for Wednesday, Sept. 8: Nederland Middle/Senior High School, open; Nederland Elementary School, open; Gold Hill Elementary School, closed; Jamestown Elementary School, closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:30 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Xcel Energy estimates that approximately 2,000 customers are without electricity in the Fourmile Canyon fire area. As the fire grew on Monday, crews shut off service to sections of the distribution power grid to reduce danger. Xcel is attempting to gain access to the fire zone in order to ensure gas service is shut off, to assess the damage to its facilities, and to begin restoration. Xcel Energy has crews surrounding the fire area ready to begin work as soon as conditions are safe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:10 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: People who wish to make donations are asked to call 2-1-1. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:20 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The shelter at the Coors Event Center will close at 5 p.m. A shelter at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. will open at 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:58 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - To volunteer during the Fourmile Canyon wildfire situation, please call Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904 or email services@volunteerconnection.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Specific volunteer needs are still being assessed at this time, but a list of potential volunteers and their contact information is being compiled. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:05 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - For those wilth insurance claims and questions, Allstate and State Farm have set up booths at the shelter at the Coors Event Center on the CU campus in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:30a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The Learning Lab at the Main Boulder Public Library is equipped with eight computers and reserved for people affected by the fire. Ask at the Main Library information desk to be admitted. The Learning Lab will be staffed by a librarian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:18 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The next press briefing will be at noon at the Boulder County Justice Center at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. Another briefing is scheduled for 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:27 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mail to Lefthand Canyon is not being delivered due to the fire. Lefthand Canyon mail customers are asked to pick up their mail at the Jamestown Post Office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:57 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - A new incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:41 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials will be on hand to update the public and media on the status of the Fourmile Canyon Fire at a briefing scheduled for 9 a.m. Mountain time Tuesday at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. So far, no injuries as a result of the fire have been reported. Up-to-date information about the size of the fire, its movement overnight, personnel and equipment involved in fighting the fire, evacuation status and tactical plans for the day will be discussed at the briefing, among other information. The Fourmile Canyon Fire is at least 3,500 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. There have been no evacuations within the city limits of Boulder. The evacuation area includes communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119). Twelve people spent Monday night in the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. All other emergency shelters were closed because evacuated residents had made arrangements to stay with friends or family in the area, according to Red Cross officials. More than 100 firefighters manning 35 engines from 30 local agencies worked to contain the fast-moving, wind-blown fire on Monday. Three aircraft also joined the fight flying 18 sorties and dropping 40,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire. Additional aircraft are expected to join the effort on Tuesday. Boulder Canyon Drive reopened to traffic Monday evening, however, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road remain closed. Additionally, Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are open from U.S. Highway 36 to Jamestown. Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Lee Hill Drive and Lick Skillet Road. The Boulder Valley School District also announced that all mountain schools will be closed Tuesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:33 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Road updates: Boulder Canyon is open Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Fire crews from approximately 30 local agencies continue to battle the Four Mile Canyon Fire that has burned 3,500 acres and multiple structures. Crews are engaged in “point protection” which includes protecting structures, clearing defensible space around threatened structures, and direct fire suppression. Approximately 3,000 residents are in the evacuation areas. The Four Mile Canyon Fire is a wind driven fire burning in steep, rocky, and hard to access terrain west and north of the City of Boulder. Requests for state and federal assistance have been requested. A total of 100 firefighters and 35 engines are currently working the Four Mile Canyon Fire with additional resources available and responding. Aviation resources were able to assist today after the winds calmed down. An estimated 40,000 gallons of retardant were utilized within the fire area today to assist in firefighting operations. Air operations stopped at nightfall and will resume first thing on Tuesday morning. The current evacuation area includes: the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway west of Highway 36 south of Lefthand Canyon Rd north of Boulder Canyon along Sugarloaf Rd There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - There will be a press briefing at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Press briefing at 8:30 at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:51 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Boulder Valley Humane Society is no longer accepting animals. Longmont Humane Society still has space and will be open throughout the night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:46 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - The Nederland Community Center evaculation center is closed. All evacuees who were at the shelter have been accomodated. Anyone trying to go to Boulder from Nederland should use Coal Creek, and not try to travel through Boulder Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:40 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - There has been some confusion about the call center number. The incident call center can be reached at 303-413-7737. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The winds have died down, allowing aircraft to get up and running. There are currently three air tankers operating over the wildfire: one single-engine tanker with a 799-gallon capacity and two heavy tankers with a 2,300-gallon capacity each. In addition, two other planes are in the air, assisting them. The tankers are dropping retardant and then returning to Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to refill, with an estimated 20-minute turnaround time. They will operate until it is too dark to do so. In addition, four more heavy air tankers have been ordered from Boise, Idaho. They are expected to arrive this evening and stage at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport until tomorrow morning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The campground at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont is open for recreational vehicles. There are approximately 25 sites open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Electrical and sewer hookup available. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:47 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Evacuation area has been expanded from Sugar Loaf Road to the Peak to Peak Highway. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: This is the most comprehensive list of residential areas that have been ordered to evacuate as a result of the wildfire: all homes within a 3-mile radius of Gold Hill; the Mountain Meadows subdivision; the Sierra Antigua subdivision; Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines; Pine Brook; Boulder Heights; Whispering Pines; Mile marker 3 Sugarloaf to Boulder Canyon; and Lickskillet west to Sawmill. Again, the emergency alert system is not working properly. Residents in these areas should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The emergency alert notification system is not working properly. Residents in the evacuation area should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The incident call center at 303-413-7737 is taking information from pet owners who are concerned about animals still in the fire area. No rescues of pets are possible at this time; however, animal control officials are monitoring the situation and will start going in, using the central list, as soon as it is safe to do so. The fire is currently estimated at 3,000 acres. There are about 100 firefighters on the perimeter at this time. More resources have been requested. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Whispering Pines in addition to previous neighborhoods. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Boulder County Public Health has issued the following advisory: Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Keep windows and doors closed, unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Additional mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Sugarloaf Mountain, Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. These mandatory evacuations join the previous ones within the original area of Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:55 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Longmont Humane Society at 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont has opened and is also accepting small animals: dogs, cats and other small mammals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Fourmile Canyon wildfire is now estimated at 2,200 acres. Two air tankers are on standby at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, but because of wind conditions, they cannot take off at this time. Residents are being asked to stay out of the area so that fire crews and equipment can continue to make their way to the fire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:25 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation area has been expanded to include several hundred homes in Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. Additional road closures have been ordered to include Linden Drive, west of the city limit, and Lee Hill at Wagon Wheel Gap and Lefthand at Lee Hill Drive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is providing temporary shelter to dogs, cats and small mammals displaced from their homes due to the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. Staff will be at the shelter at 2323 55th St. in Boulder until 5 p.m. to meet families and take in animals. After 5 p.m., pet owners should contact dispatch at 303-441-3333 to make arrangements for an animal care and control officer to meet them at the shelter. More information about small animal care and shelter during this emergency is available at www.boulderhumane.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: A media briefing will be held at 3:15 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation zone at this time is from Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. The fire is believed to have originated in Emerson Gulch. No cause has been determined. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Firefighters closest to the scene are reporting that about 200 acres are affected at this time, and the fire is threatening about 100 structures. They are especially focused on evacuating homes in Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines at this time. Dispatch has used the emergency alert system to contact more than 2,500 phone numbers to notify residents of the situation and evacuation requests. A third evacuation center has been opened at New Vista High School at 20th and Baseline Road in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:45 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7737 instead of calling 9-1-1 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. No city residents have been asked to evacuate at this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The sheriff's office has called for evacuations in the area of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Residents are being notified through the emergency alert system. Evacuation centers for people have been established at the North Boulder Recreation Center, 3170 Broadway in Boulder, and Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 in Nederland. The Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont, is accepting large animals that are affected by the evacuations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:09 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which is burning in Boulder County. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will have a live briefing for the media at 1 p.m. today to provide updates on the Fourmile Canyon wildfire fire burning in Boulder County. The briefing will be held at the Justice Center, 6th & Canyon, Boulder. Commander Rick Brough is the attending PIO for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. The fire started at approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning on 4-Mile Canyon Rd. near Emerson Gulch. The following roads are closed to traffic: Lefthand Canyon, 4-Mile Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Olde Stage, westbound SH 119 (Boulder Canyon). Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Gold Hill area, at least a 4-mile radius at this time. Evacuation centers are open at the Nederland Community Center and North Boulder Recreation Center. More information will be sent after the 1 p.m. briefing.

parish: -> Boulder
notes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is providing this information to residents who have been affected by the fire. The addresses listed below are of houses that the Sheriff's Office has identified as destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon Fire. These addresses were determined from only 5-10% of the burned area, as that is the only area that could be safely surveyed today. Some parts of the burned area are more densely populated than others. In most cases, Sheriff’s deputies were able to identify addresses by the homes' mailboxes, some of which are grouped with other mailboxes, so while we intend this to be an accurate list of addresses, we are working under difficult conditions in determining the actual address of each home. We will continue to post more information as it becomes available following additional investigative work on Wednesday. Street or Road Street # Dixon 515 Dixon 698 Dixon 997 Dixon 1270 Emerson Gulch Rd. 560 Emerson Gulch Rd. 756 Emerson Gulch Rd. 1059 Emerson Gulch Rd. 100-B Fourmile Canyon 6060 Fourmile Canyon 6130 Melvina Hill Rd. 450 Melvina Hill Rd. 589 Melvina Hill Rd. 611 Melvina Hill Rd. 805 Melvina Hill Rd. 849 Melvina Hill Rd. 1005 Melvina Hill Rd. 1081 Melvina Hill Rd. 1103 Melvina Hill Rd. 1112 Melvina Hill Rd. 1403 Melvina Hill Rd. 1446 Nancy Mine Rd. 280 Nancy Mine Rd. 833 Nancy Mine Rd. 959-B Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5387 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5546 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5595 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5657 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5695 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5779 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5810 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5841 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5847 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5860 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5879 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5881 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6095 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6101 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6138 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6191 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6297 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6299 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6301 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6305 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6309 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6317 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6319 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6601 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6801 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7875 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7878 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:36 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The next media briefing will be at 9 a.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, located at 6th Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:03 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The current evacuation area has not changed and includes: - the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway - west of Highway 36 - south of Lefthand Canyon Rd - north of Boulder Canyon - along Sugarloaf Rd - There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. The current list of road updates also has not changed and is as follows: - Boulder Canyon is open - Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown - Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet - Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:21 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: A map of the fire and evacuation perimeters as of 12:30 p.m. today has been posted at the following URL: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Communication/fourmile/Four_Mile_Fire_Web_Perimeter_1230.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:11 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: Small pets are allowed at the shelter at the Boulder YMCA, 2850 Mapleton Ave. They will be housed away from people, but pet owners can visit with their pets, walk them outside, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:50 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: City Manager Jane Brautigam has ordered the closure of Boulder Reservoir to the public starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, until further notice. The city property will be used to shelter firefighters who are working the Fourmile Canyon wildfire in Boulder County. Emergency crews will be allowed to utilize camping equipment for the duration of the closure. The public will not be allowed access to the Reservoir during this time. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists and all vehicles through all entry points. The Boulder Reservoir location was chosen because of its proximity to the Incident Command Post at the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center. “We know the Boulder Reservoir is a popular destination this time of year, but this closure is necessary to help the courageous firefighting crews who are working this very difficult situation,” Brautigam said. “As a city, our hearts go out to our neighbors who have lost their homes, and we are pleased to be able to provide whatever support we can to the emergency personnel on the front lines." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:34 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials provided updated information about the Fourmile Canyon wildfire at a press briefing at 4 p.m. today. An additional news briefing will be held today at 8 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. No injuries or deaths as a result of the fire have been reported. The Fourmile Canyon wildfire has grown to at least 7,100 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of more than 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. Teams are on site to catalog burned structures and to investigate the fire’s cause and origin. More than 200 firefighters, from at least 35 local, regional and national agencies are working to contain the active fire. Eight air tankers and three helicopters joined the effort. Due to a thick inversion layer limiting visibility, air tankers were unable take off Tuesday morning, but dropped more than 90,000 gallons of fire retardant later in the day. Communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive, west of Olde Stage Road and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119) will remain evacuated until further notice. Residents will be informed when any evacuations have been lifted. The emergency shelter at the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder is closed. A new overnight emergency shelter has opened at the Boulder YMCA located at 2850 Mapleton Ave. Food, water and insurance resources will be available courtesy of the American Red Cross. Boulder County will have animal control officers on scene conducting animal evacuations when site access becomes available. Animal evacuation information can be obtained by calling 720-564-2942. An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire. Residents are asked to contact the call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 unless there is an emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:59 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mountain school information for Wednesday, Sept. 8: Nederland Middle/Senior High School, open; Nederland Elementary School, open; Gold Hill Elementary School, closed; Jamestown Elementary School, closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:30 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Xcel Energy estimates that approximately 2,000 customers are without electricity in the Fourmile Canyon fire area. As the fire grew on Monday, crews shut off service to sections of the distribution power grid to reduce danger. Xcel is attempting to gain access to the fire zone in order to ensure gas service is shut off, to assess the damage to its facilities, and to begin restoration. Xcel Energy has crews surrounding the fire area ready to begin work as soon as conditions are safe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:10 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: People who wish to make donations are asked to call 2-1-1. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:20 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The shelter at the Coors Event Center will close at 5 p.m. A shelter at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. will open at 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:58 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - To volunteer during the Fourmile Canyon wildfire situation, please call Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904 or email services@volunteerconnection.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Specific volunteer needs are still being assessed at this time, but a list of potential volunteers and their contact information is being compiled. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:05 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - For those wilth insurance claims and questions, Allstate and State Farm have set up booths at the shelter at the Coors Event Center on the CU campus in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:30a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The Learning Lab at the Main Boulder Public Library is equipped with eight computers and reserved for people affected by the fire. Ask at the Main Library information desk to be admitted. The Learning Lab will be staffed by a librarian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:18 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The next press briefing will be at noon at the Boulder County Justice Center at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. Another briefing is scheduled for 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:27 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mail to Lefthand Canyon is not being delivered due to the fire. Lefthand Canyon mail customers are asked to pick up their mail at the Jamestown Post Office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:57 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - A new incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:41 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials will be on hand to update the public and media on the status of the Fourmile Canyon Fire at a briefing scheduled for 9 a.m. Mountain time Tuesday at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. So far, no injuries as a result of the fire have been reported. Up-to-date information about the size of the fire, its movement overnight, personnel and equipment involved in fighting the fire, evacuation status and tactical plans for the day will be discussed at the briefing, among other information. The Fourmile Canyon Fire is at least 3,500 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. There have been no evacuations within the city limits of Boulder. The evacuation area includes communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119). Twelve people spent Monday night in the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. All other emergency shelters were closed because evacuated residents had made arrangements to stay with friends or family in the area, according to Red Cross officials. More than 100 firefighters manning 35 engines from 30 local agencies worked to contain the fast-moving, wind-blown fire on Monday. Three aircraft also joined the fight flying 18 sorties and dropping 40,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire. Additional aircraft are expected to join the effort on Tuesday. Boulder Canyon Drive reopened to traffic Monday evening, however, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road remain closed. Additionally, Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are open from U.S. Highway 36 to Jamestown. Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Lee Hill Drive and Lick Skillet Road. The Boulder Valley School District also announced that all mountain schools will be closed Tuesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:33 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Road updates: Boulder Canyon is open Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Fire crews from approximately 30 local agencies continue to battle the Four Mile Canyon Fire that has burned 3,500 acres and multiple structures. Crews are engaged in “point protection” which includes protecting structures, clearing defensible space around threatened structures, and direct fire suppression. Approximately 3,000 residents are in the evacuation areas. The Four Mile Canyon Fire is a wind driven fire burning in steep, rocky, and hard to access terrain west and north of the City of Boulder. Requests for state and federal assistance have been requested. A total of 100 firefighters and 35 engines are currently working the Four Mile Canyon Fire with additional resources available and responding. Aviation resources were able to assist today after the winds calmed down. An estimated 40,000 gallons of retardant were utilized within the fire area today to assist in firefighting operations. Air operations stopped at nightfall and will resume first thing on Tuesday morning. The current evacuation area includes: the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway west of Highway 36 south of Lefthand Canyon Rd north of Boulder Canyon along Sugarloaf Rd There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - There will be a press briefing at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Press briefing at 8:30 at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - The CU Coors Event Center is open as an overnight shelter. People should enter at the southwest arena entrance, taking Regent Drive to Kittredge Loop. Drivers can drop off the rest of their party at this entrance then proceed to POD-G (public parking), just east of 30th Street and Colorado Boulevard. A shuttle will be provided to transport evacuees people back to the center from the parking area. The shelter can only accommodate service animals. No pets are allowed, but the humane society in Longmont is accepting small pets. People should bring identification and medications and items to occupy small children. Food will be provided. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:51 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Boulder Valley Humane Society is no longer accepting animals. Longmont Humane Society still has space and will be open throughout the night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:46 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - The Nederland Community Center evaculation center is closed. All evacuees who were at the shelter have been accomodated. Anyone trying to go to Boulder from Nederland should use Coal Creek, and not try to travel through Boulder Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:40 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - There has been some confusion about the call center number. The incident call center can be reached at 303-413-7737. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:40 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - North Boulder Recreation Center evacuation center is closing and evacuees are being directed to the CU Coors Events Center. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:25 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The New Vista High School evacuation center is closed. Evacuees have been directed to the shelter at the CU Coors Events Center. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The winds have died down, allowing aircraft to get up and running. There are currently three air tankers operating over the wildfire: one single-engine tanker with a 799-gallon capacity and two heavy tankers with a 2,300-gallon capacity each. In addition, two other planes are in the air, assisting them. The tankers are dropping retardant and then returning to Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to refill, with an estimated 20-minute turnaround time. They will operate until it is too dark to do so. In addition, four more heavy air tankers have been ordered from Boise, Idaho. They are expected to arrive this evening and stage at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport until tomorrow morning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The campground at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont is open for recreational vehicles. There are approximately 25 sites open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Electrical and sewer hookup available. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:47 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Evacuation area has been expanded from Sugar Loaf Road to the Peak to Peak Highway. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:45 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Parking for evacuees using the Coors Events Center is at POD-G (public parking), just east of 30th Street and Colorado Blvd. A shuttle will be provided to transport evacuees from the parking area to the Coors Events Center. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The American Red Cross is opening an overnight shelter at the CU Coors Event Center. People should enter at the southwest arena entrance, taking Regent Drive to Kittredge Loop. This facility will open at 6:30 p.m. for all residents displaced by the wildfire. The shelter can only accommodate service animals. No pets are allowed, but the humane societies in Boulder and Longmont are accepting small pets. People should bring identification and medications and items to occupy small children. Food will be provided. Parking may be limited. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: This is the most comprehensive list of residential areas that have been ordered to evacuate as a result of the wildfire: all homes within a 3-mile radius of Gold Hill; the Mountain Meadows subdivision; the Sierra Antigua subdivision; Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines; Pine Brook; Boulder Heights; Whispering Pines; Mile marker 3 Sugarloaf to Boulder Canyon; and Lickskillet west to Sawmill. Again, the emergency alert system is not working properly. Residents in these areas should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The emergency alert notification system is not working properly. Residents in the evacuation area should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The incident call center at 303-413-7737 is taking information from pet owners who are concerned about animals still in the fire area. No rescues of pets are possible at this time; however, animal control officials are monitoring the situation and will start going in, using the central list, as soon as it is safe to do so. The fire is currently estimated at 3,000 acres. There are about 100 firefighters on the perimeter at this time. More resources have been requested. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Whispering Pines in addition to previous neighborhoods. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Boulder County Public Health has issued the following advisory: Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Keep windows and doors closed, unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Additional mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Sugarloaf Mountain, Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. These mandatory evacuations join the previous ones within the original area of Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:55 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Longmont Humane Society at 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont has opened and is also accepting small animals: dogs, cats and other small mammals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Fourmile Canyon wildfire is now estimated at 2,200 acres. Two air tankers are on standby at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, but because of wind conditions, they cannot take off at this time. Residents are being asked to stay out of the area so that fire crews and equipment can continue to make their way to the fire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:25 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation area has been expanded to include several hundred homes in Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. Additional road closures have been ordered to include Linden Drive, west of the city limit, and Lee Hill at Wagon Wheel Gap and Lefthand at Lee Hill Drive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is providing temporary shelter to dogs, cats and small mammals displaced from their homes due to the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. Staff will be at the shelter at 2323 55th St. in Boulder until 5 p.m. to meet families and take in animals. After 5 p.m., pet owners should contact dispatch at 303-441-3333 to make arrangements for an animal care and control officer to meet them at the shelter. More information about small animal care and shelter during this emergency is available at www.boulderhumane.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: A media briefing will be held at 3:15 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation zone at this time is from Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. The fire is believed to have originated in Emerson Gulch. No cause has been determined. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Firefighters closest to the scene are reporting that about 200 acres are affected at this time, and the fire is threatening about 100 structures. They are especially focused on evacuating homes in Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines at this time. Dispatch has used the emergency alert system to contact more than 2,500 phone numbers to notify residents of the situation and evacuation requests. A third evacuation center has been opened at New Vista High School at 20th and Baseline Road in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:45 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7737 instead of calling 9-1-1 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. No city residents have been asked to evacuate at this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The sheriff's office has called for evacuations in the area of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Residents are being notified through the emergency alert system. Evacuation centers for people have been established at the North Boulder Recreation Center, 3170 Broadway in Boulder, and Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 in Nederland. The Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont, is accepting large animals that are affected by the evacuations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:09 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which is burning in Boulder County. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will have a live briefing for the media at 1 p.m. today to provide updates on the Fourmile Canyon wildfire fire burning in Boulder County. The briefing will be held at the Justice Center, 6th & Canyon, Boulder. Commander Rick Brough is the attending PIO for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. The fire started at approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning on 4-Mile Canyon Rd. near Emerson Gulch. The following roads are closed to traffic: Lefthand Canyon, 4-Mile Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Olde Stage, westbound SH 119 (Boulder Canyon). Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Gold Hill area, at least a 4-mile radius at this time. Evacuation centers are open at the Nederland Community Center and North Boulder Recreation Center. More information will be sent after the 1 p.m. briefing. -> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emergency Status: This page displays all public information that has been released about emergencies occurring in our community. We are committed to posting updates as soon as new and verified details become available. The information is displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent updates at the top. If you are keeping this page up, PLEASE REFRESH PERIODICALLY FOR THE MOST CURRENT INFORMATION. Another important way to stay informed is to SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY TEXT ALERTS. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is providing this information to residents who have been affected by the fire. The addresses listed below are of houses that the Sheriff's Office has identified as destroyed by the Fourmile Canyon Fire. These addresses were determined from only 5-10% of the burned area, as that is the only area that could be safely surveyed today. Some parts of the burned area are more densely populated than others. In most cases, Sheriff’s deputies were able to identify addresses by the homes' mailboxes, some of which are grouped with other mailboxes, so while we intend this to be an accurate list of addresses, we are working under difficult conditions in determining the actual address of each home. We will continue to post more information as it becomes available following additional investigative work on Wednesday. Street or Road Street # Dixon 515 Dixon 698 Dixon 997 Dixon 1270 Emerson Gulch Rd. 560 Emerson Gulch Rd. 756 Emerson Gulch Rd. 1059 Emerson Gulch Rd. 100-B Fourmile Canyon 6060 Fourmile Canyon 6130 Melvina Hill Rd. 450 Melvina Hill Rd. 589 Melvina Hill Rd. 611 Melvina Hill Rd. 805 Melvina Hill Rd. 849 Melvina Hill Rd. 1005 Melvina Hill Rd. 1081 Melvina Hill Rd. 1103 Melvina Hill Rd. 1112 Melvina Hill Rd. 1403 Melvina Hill Rd. 1446 Nancy Mine Rd. 280 Nancy Mine Rd. 833 Nancy Mine Rd. 959-B Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5387 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5546 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5595 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5657 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5695 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5779 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5810 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5841 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5847 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5860 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5879 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 5881 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6095 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6101 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6138 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6191 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6297 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6299 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6301 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6305 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6309 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6317 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6319 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6601 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6801 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 6927 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7875 Sunshine Canyon Rd. 7878 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:36 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The next media briefing will be at 9 a.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, located at 6th Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:03 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: The current evacuation area has not changed and includes: - the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway - west of Highway 36 - south of Lefthand Canyon Rd - north of Boulder Canyon - along Sugarloaf Rd - There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. The current list of road updates also has not changed and is as follows: - Boulder Canyon is open - Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown - Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet - Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:21 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: A map of the fire and evacuation perimeters as of 12:30 p.m. today has been posted at the following URL: http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/Communication/fourmile/Four_Mile_Fire_Web_Perimeter_1230.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:11 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: Small pets are allowed at the shelter at the Boulder YMCA, 2850 Mapleton Ave. They will be housed away from people, but pet owners can visit with their pets, walk them outside, etc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:50 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: City Manager Jane Brautigam has ordered the closure of Boulder Reservoir to the public starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, until further notice. The city property will be used to shelter firefighters who are working the Fourmile Canyon wildfire in Boulder County. Emergency crews will be allowed to utilize camping equipment for the duration of the closure. The public will not be allowed access to the Reservoir during this time. This includes pedestrians, bicyclists and all vehicles through all entry points. The Boulder Reservoir location was chosen because of its proximity to the Incident Command Post at the Boulder County Regional Fire Training Center. “We know the Boulder Reservoir is a popular destination this time of year, but this closure is necessary to help the courageous firefighting crews who are working this very difficult situation,” Brautigam said. “As a city, our hearts go out to our neighbors who have lost their homes, and we are pleased to be able to provide whatever support we can to the emergency personnel on the front lines." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:34 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials provided updated information about the Fourmile Canyon wildfire at a press briefing at 4 p.m. today. An additional news briefing will be held today at 8 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. No injuries or deaths as a result of the fire have been reported. The Fourmile Canyon wildfire has grown to at least 7,100 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of more than 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. Teams are on site to catalog burned structures and to investigate the fire’s cause and origin. More than 200 firefighters, from at least 35 local, regional and national agencies are working to contain the active fire. Eight air tankers and three helicopters joined the effort. Due to a thick inversion layer limiting visibility, air tankers were unable take off Tuesday morning, but dropped more than 90,000 gallons of fire retardant later in the day. Communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive, west of Olde Stage Road and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119) will remain evacuated until further notice. Residents will be informed when any evacuations have been lifted. The emergency shelter at the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder is closed. A new overnight emergency shelter has opened at the Boulder YMCA located at 2850 Mapleton Ave. Food, water and insurance resources will be available courtesy of the American Red Cross. Boulder County will have animal control officers on scene conducting animal evacuations when site access becomes available. Animal evacuation information can be obtained by calling 720-564-2942. An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire. Residents are asked to contact the call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 unless there is an emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:59 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mountain school information for Wednesday, Sept. 8: Nederland Middle/Senior High School, open; Nederland Elementary School, open; Gold Hill Elementary School, closed; Jamestown Elementary School, closed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:30 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Xcel Energy estimates that approximately 2,000 customers are without electricity in the Fourmile Canyon fire area. As the fire grew on Monday, crews shut off service to sections of the distribution power grid to reduce danger. Xcel is attempting to gain access to the fire zone in order to ensure gas service is shut off, to assess the damage to its facilities, and to begin restoration. Xcel Energy has crews surrounding the fire area ready to begin work as soon as conditions are safe. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:10 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010: People who wish to make donations are asked to call 2-1-1. The public phone line is up and running for this purpose. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:20 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The shelter at the Coors Event Center will close at 5 p.m. A shelter at the Boulder YMCA at 2850 Mapleton Ave. will open at 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:58 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - To volunteer during the Fourmile Canyon wildfire situation, please call Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904 or email services@volunteerconnection.netThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Specific volunteer needs are still being assessed at this time, but a list of potential volunteers and their contact information is being compiled. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12:05 p.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - For those wilth insurance claims and questions, Allstate and State Farm have set up booths at the shelter at the Coors Event Center on the CU campus in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:30a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The Learning Lab at the Main Boulder Public Library is equipped with eight computers and reserved for people affected by the fire. Ask at the Main Library information desk to be admitted. The Learning Lab will be staffed by a librarian. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11:18 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - The next press briefing will be at noon at the Boulder County Justice Center at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. Another briefing is scheduled for 4 p.m. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:27 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Mail to Lefthand Canyon is not being delivered due to the fire. Lefthand Canyon mail customers are asked to pick up their mail at the Jamestown Post Office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9:57 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - A new incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:41 a.m. - Sept. 7, 2010 - Boulder County officials will be on hand to update the public and media on the status of the Fourmile Canyon Fire at a briefing scheduled for 9 a.m. Mountain time Tuesday at the Boulder County Justice Center located at Sixth Street and Canyon Boulevard in Boulder. So far, no injuries as a result of the fire have been reported. Up-to-date information about the size of the fire, its movement overnight, personnel and equipment involved in fighting the fire, evacuation status and tactical plans for the day will be discussed at the briefing, among other information. The Fourmile Canyon Fire is at least 3,500 acres in size and forced the mandatory evacuation of about 3,000 residents living in the steep, rugged and heavily forested foothills west of the City of Boulder. There have been no evacuations within the city limits of Boulder. The evacuation area includes communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, south of Lefthand Canyon Drive and north of Boulder Canyon Drive (Colo. Highway 119). Twelve people spent Monday night in the Coors Events Center located on the University of Colorado, Boulder campus. All other emergency shelters were closed because evacuated residents had made arrangements to stay with friends or family in the area, according to Red Cross officials. More than 100 firefighters manning 35 engines from 30 local agencies worked to contain the fast-moving, wind-blown fire on Monday. Three aircraft also joined the fight flying 18 sorties and dropping 40,000 gallons of fire retardant on the fire. Additional aircraft are expected to join the effort on Tuesday. Boulder Canyon Drive reopened to traffic Monday evening, however, Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road remain closed. Additionally, Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are open from U.S. Highway 36 to Jamestown. Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Lee Hill Drive and Lick Skillet Road. The Boulder Valley School District also announced that all mountain schools will be closed Tuesday. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10:33 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Road updates: Boulder Canyon is open Lefthand Canyon is open to Jamestown Lefthand Canyon is closed from Lee Hill to Lick Skillet Fourmile Canyon and Sugarloaf roads are closed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Fire crews from approximately 30 local agencies continue to battle the Four Mile Canyon Fire that has burned 3,500 acres and multiple structures. Crews are engaged in “point protection” which includes protecting structures, clearing defensible space around threatened structures, and direct fire suppression. Approximately 3,000 residents are in the evacuation areas. The Four Mile Canyon Fire is a wind driven fire burning in steep, rocky, and hard to access terrain west and north of the City of Boulder. Requests for state and federal assistance have been requested. A total of 100 firefighters and 35 engines are currently working the Four Mile Canyon Fire with additional resources available and responding. Aviation resources were able to assist today after the winds calmed down. An estimated 40,000 gallons of retardant were utilized within the fire area today to assist in firefighting operations. Air operations stopped at nightfall and will resume first thing on Tuesday morning. The current evacuation area includes: the communities east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway west of Highway 36 south of Lefthand Canyon Rd north of Boulder Canyon along Sugarloaf Rd There are not any evacuations within the City of Boulder city limits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 p.m. - There will be a press briefing at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Press briefing at 8:30 at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:51 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - Boulder Valley Humane Society is no longer accepting animals. Longmont Humane Society still has space and will be open throughout the night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:46 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - The Nederland Community Center evaculation center is closed. All evacuees who were at the shelter have been accomodated. Anyone trying to go to Boulder from Nederland should use Coal Creek, and not try to travel through Boulder Canyon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:40 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010 - There has been some confusion about the call center number. The incident call center can be reached at 303-413-7737. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The winds have died down, allowing aircraft to get up and running. There are currently three air tankers operating over the wildfire: one single-engine tanker with a 799-gallon capacity and two heavy tankers with a 2,300-gallon capacity each. In addition, two other planes are in the air, assisting them. The tankers are dropping retardant and then returning to Rocky Mountain Regional Airport to refill, with an estimated 20-minute turnaround time. They will operate until it is too dark to do so. In addition, four more heavy air tankers have been ordered from Boise, Idaho. They are expected to arrive this evening and stage at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport until tomorrow morning. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The campground at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont is open for recreational vehicles. There are approximately 25 sites open on a first-come, first-serve basis. Electrical and sewer hookup available. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6:47 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Evacuation area has been expanded from Sugar Loaf Road to the Peak to Peak Highway. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:20 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: This is the most comprehensive list of residential areas that have been ordered to evacuate as a result of the wildfire: all homes within a 3-mile radius of Gold Hill; the Mountain Meadows subdivision; the Sierra Antigua subdivision; Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines; Pine Brook; Boulder Heights; Whispering Pines; Mile marker 3 Sugarloaf to Boulder Canyon; and Lickskillet west to Sawmill. Again, the emergency alert system is not working properly. Residents in these areas should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The emergency alert notification system is not working properly. Residents in the evacuation area should NOT wait for alerts to evacuate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The incident call center at 303-413-7737 is taking information from pet owners who are concerned about animals still in the fire area. No rescues of pets are possible at this time; however, animal control officials are monitoring the situation and will start going in, using the central list, as soon as it is safe to do so. The fire is currently estimated at 3,000 acres. There are about 100 firefighters on the perimeter at this time. More resources have been requested. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:48 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Whispering Pines in addition to previous neighborhoods. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Boulder County Public Health has issued the following advisory: Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Keep windows and doors closed, unless it is extremely hot outside. Run an air conditioner if you have one, but keep the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4:10 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Additional mandatory evacuations have been ordered for Sugarloaf Mountain, Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. These mandatory evacuations join the previous ones within the original area of Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:55 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Longmont Humane Society at 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont has opened and is also accepting small animals: dogs, cats and other small mammals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Fourmile Canyon wildfire is now estimated at 2,200 acres. Two air tankers are on standby at Rocky Mountain Regional Airport, but because of wind conditions, they cannot take off at this time. Residents are being asked to stay out of the area so that fire crews and equipment can continue to make their way to the fire. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:25 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation area has been expanded to include several hundred homes in Boulder Heights and Pine Brook Hills. Additional road closures have been ordered to include Linden Drive, west of the city limit, and Lee Hill at Wagon Wheel Gap and Lefthand at Lee Hill Drive. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is providing temporary shelter to dogs, cats and small mammals displaced from their homes due to the Fourmile Canyon Wildfire. Staff will be at the shelter at 2323 55th St. in Boulder until 5 p.m. to meet families and take in animals. After 5 p.m., pet owners should contact dispatch at 303-441-3333 to make arrangements for an animal care and control officer to meet them at the shelter. More information about small animal care and shelter during this emergency is available at www.boulderhumane.org. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:15 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: A media briefing will be held at 3:15 p.m. at the Boulder County Justice Center, 6th & Canyon Boulevard. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2:05 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The evacuation zone at this time is from Bald Mountain north to Lefthand Canyon, east to County Road 83, south along Sunshine Canyon to Hwy 119/City of Boulder limits. The fire is believed to have originated in Emerson Gulch. No cause has been determined. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: Firefighters closest to the scene are reporting that about 200 acres are affected at this time, and the fire is threatening about 100 structures. They are especially focused on evacuating homes in Mountain Meadows and Mountain Pines at this time. Dispatch has used the emergency alert system to contact more than 2,500 phone numbers to notify residents of the situation and evacuation requests. A third evacuation center has been opened at New Vista High School at 20th and Baseline Road in Boulder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:45 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: An incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7737 instead of calling 9-1-1 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report. No city residents have been asked to evacuate at this time. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:30 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The sheriff's office has called for evacuations in the area of the Fourmile Canyon wildfire. Residents are being notified through the emergency alert system. Evacuation centers for people have been established at the North Boulder Recreation Center, 3170 Broadway in Boulder, and Nederland Community Center, 750 Highway 72 in Nederland. The Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road in Longmont, is accepting large animals that are affected by the evacuations. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1:09 p.m. - Sept. 6, 2010: The Emergency Operations Center has been activated in response to the Fourmile Canyon wildfire, which is burning in Boulder County. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office will have a live briefing for the media at 1 p.m. today to provide updates on the Fourmile Canyon wildfire fire burning in Boulder County. The briefing will be held at the Justice Center, 6th & Canyon, Boulder. Commander Rick Brough is the attending PIO for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. The fire started at approximately 10:30 a.m. this morning on 4-Mile Canyon Rd. near Emerson Gulch. The following roads are closed to traffic: Lefthand Canyon, 4-Mile Canyon, Sunshine Canyon, Olde Stage, westbound SH 119 (Boulder Canyon). Mandatory evacuations have been issued for the Gold Hill area, at least a 4-mile radius at this time. Evacuation centers are open at the Nederland Community Center and North Boulder Recreation Center. More information will be sent after the 1 p.m. briefing.