LOVELAND, Colo. — Crews working the 9,668-acre Alexander Mountain Fire in Larimer County have reached full containment nearly three weeks after the destructive blaze started.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, the fire was declared 100% contained Saturday.
The Alexander Fire was first reported at around 10:38 a.m. on July 29 near the community of Drake. It forced the evacuations of more than 5,000 people in the area and destroyed 26 homes and 21 outbuildings. No injuries were reported.
"The Forest wants to recognize both the hard work as well as the stress and difficulty of the past three weeks." said Acting Forest Supervisor Jason Sieg in a news release. "There are members of the Cedar Park community who lost property and homes, and we will support them as best we can alongside our community partners and local agencies. We also want to thank the numerous agencies, partners, fire personnel and community members who stepped up to help in our joint coordination with Larimer County and Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control. This was a team effort. Thank you. As we move into the recovery phase of the work, we look forward to continuing to work together, and we know the work is not over."
With 100% containment, the fire is now considered in monitor status. Fire crews will continue to work and monitor the area.
The Alexander Mountain Fire was one of several that blew up that week. The next day, a wildfire—the Stone Canyon Fire—erupted in neighboring Boulder County, destroying five homes and killing one person.
Forest officials determined that the fire on Alexander Mountain was human-caused. However, they are still investigating how it sparked and are seeking possible witnesses who were near the mountain's peak in the late morning hours of July 29.
The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office opened a disaster assistance center on Friday, helping to connect residents affected by the fire to resources.
The center will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday at the Ranch Events Complex in Loveland. Residents can receive mental health services, food, and licensing information, and the Red Cross is providing gloves, masks, and trash bags to help clean up homes.
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