Stone Canyon Fire near Lyons grows to over 1,300 acres, prompts evacuations around town

WEDNESDAY UPDATED STORY | One person has died and four firefighters have been injured in the Stone Canyon Fire, as it continues to burn north of Lyons on Wednesday. Click here for our latest story on the Stone Canyon Fire.

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BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — Evacuations were underway around the Town of Lyons after a wildfire ignited in the Stone Canyon area in Boulder County early Tuesday afternoon.

The Stone Canyon Fire was reported just before 2 p.m. and has burned an estimated 1,320 acres with 0% containment, according to Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson. At least two structures have been lost to the fire.

Mandatory evacuations have been issued for parts of the town of Lyons, specifically for those living east of 5th Avenue and north of Broadway. Those living east along Highway 66 or south on Highway 36 and the Eagle Ridge area have also been ordered to evacuate.

An evacuation area map, including Blue Mountain and Spring Valley, can be viewed here or in the map below.

Late Tuesday evening, an evacuation warning was issued for residents on Highway 36 north of Lyons to Apple Valley Rd (North). Officials are asking residents in the warning area to prepare to take action.

Evacuees can go to the Boulder County Fairgrounds in the Exhibit Building where Red Cross volunteers will be able to support the needs of those affected by the fire. An overnight shelter is available in Loveland, at the 1380 N. Denver.

Evacuees scramble to get ahead of fast-moving Stone Canyon Fire

People with farm or ranch animals or livestock need to go to the Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Golden, while people with small animals like cats and dogs were told to go to the Longmont Humane Society or to the Boulder County Fairgrounds, officials said.

Westbound traffic along Highways 36 and 66 into Lyons is closed so firefighting equipment can be brought into the town.

The following road closures were in effect as of 4 p.m., according to the Boulder Office of Disaster Management:

• All roads north of the intersection of Blue Mountain Road and Highway 36, including any connected roads
• Everything north of Steamboat Valley Road and the 5th Avenue intersection
• Everything north of Ute Highway and the N. 53rd/55th intersection.
• Eagle Canyon Road between Stone Canyon Drive and Steamboat Valley Road
• Lewis Lane from Eagle Ridge Road
• Stone Canyon Drive from Highway 36
• Osprey Lane from Eagle Valley Drive
• Eagle Valley Drive from Stone Canyon Drive
• Nolan Road
• Peregrine Lane from Eagle Valley Drive
• Falcon Lane at Eagle Valley Drive

The Ron Stewart Preserve at Rabbit Mountain is also closed due to the fire.
Nearby firefighting response affecting Boulder Reservoir

Boulder officials said later in the day that while responding to the Stone Canyon Fire north of Boulder, fire-retardant slurry was dropped into the St. Vrain Supply Canal, which flows into the Boulder Feeder Canal and then into Boulder Reservoir. As a result, "slurry has entered the Boulder Reservoir."

"The slurry contains a red dye and phosphorus and ammonia-based ingredients, which are not anticipated to pose a threat to human health," they added.

Here are the anticipated impacts to the Reservoir:

• The Canal and Reservoir are not currently being used as drinking water sources so there is no risk to public health through the drinking water supply.
• If community members were to get into the water and the slurry is a high enough concentration, they may experience skin or eye irritation.
• The slurry may adversely impact aquatic life and wildlife depending on concentrations.
• We advise against fishing and recommend community members keep their dogs out of the water.

Boulder officials said staff would evaluate conditions in the morning and make adjustments to recreation operations, as appropriate. Staff will also test water quality in the Reservoir to evaluate impacts over the coming days.
AirTracker7 flew over the scene of the blaze and captured what appeared to be a structure that had already been lost to the flames.

"We have heard unconfirmed reports that there may be structures that have burned in this fire, maybe two," Sheriff Johnson said. "We don't have good confirmation or good addresses because again, our focus right now is trying to slow the fire down, protect other structures and make sure people are safe."

The destruction of the two structures were later confirmed Tuesday night.

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The Stone Canyon Fire is burning just eight miles from the much larger Alexander Mountain Fire burning in Larimer County, which Johnson said has helped in their firefighting efforts.

"The good news for us is that we were able to grab resources from Larimer County. As soon as our fire kicked off, the Larimer sheriff was in contact with me, offered to send some of those air resources to this fire, tried to help us get it under control," Johnson said. "So within an hour, we had a lot more support than we might on a normal initial fire because of the fire burning north of us."

Air support stopped overnight but will start again Wednesday morning. More than 100 firefighters were on the ground battling the blaze all day Tuesday, and they will remain there overnight, officials said.

A red flag warning is in effect for Larimer and Boulder counties between 6,000 and 9,000 feet through 8 p.m. Tuesday due to westerly winds that could bring gusts of up to 30 mph and low relative humidity for the northern Front Range foothills, according to the National Weather Service in Boulder.

Fire conditions in the area "will be favorable for rapid fire spread. ... Avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark and start a wildfire," weather service officials said.

Anyone in Boulder County looking for the latest updates on the Stone Canyon Fire should text BocoInfo to 888-777 or go to BoulderODM.gov.

People wanting to donate to the victims of the Stone Canyon Fire should go to the Boulder ODM website and click on the Donations button at the top of the page to let Boulder officials know what items they have so they can contact you in case those items are needed. Coloradans wanting to help were urged not to drop off donations at the Boulder County Fairgrounds.

Gov. Jared Polis issued a verbal declaration of disaster emergency for the Stone Canyon Fire on Tuesday, which will free up additional state resources to fight the fire.

The cause of the fire remains unknown at this time.

Wednesday updates

One person has died in the Stone Canyon Fire, as it continues to burn north of Lyons on Wednesday.

Human remains were found in a structure, Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson said during a press conference on Wednesday morning.

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Portions of Lyons was given the "all clear" Wednesday at 10:01 a.m. The evacuation order was lifted for the northern and western parts of Lyons, the Boulder Office of Disaster Management said. To check if your address or someone you know is impacted, go here. And search for your address in the "Find address" bar in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.

The Boulder County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone who has any information about how the Stone Canyon Fire may have started to contact the Boulder County Sheriff's Office at 303-441-3674 or bcsoptips@bouldercounty.gov.

Smoke from the Stone Canyon Fire, in addition to the Alexander Mountain Fire and Quarry Fire has prompted an Air Advisory, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Air Polution said.

High ozone levels are expected from Fort Collins to Pueblo, according to the CDPHE APCD.

Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson will join Gov. Jared Polis and other public safety leaders for a press conference about the three major wildfires burning across the state Wednesday, including the Stone Canyon Fire.

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