LYONS, Colo. -- A fire that sparked Monday north of Lyons was fully contained by 8 p.m. Monday.
Evacuation warnings were issued earlier in the day because of the fire, dubbed the Dakota Ridge Fire, in Larimer County, but the Larimer County sheriff's Office said no structures were damaged, nor were any injuries reported because of the fire.
It burned 25 acres between the Rabbit Mountain Open Space in Lyons and Carter Lake Reservoir.
The Roberts family witnessed a transformer blowing and sparks flying which they say caused the fire.
“I was on my way to work, and when I got up the hill I saw a fire and ran into my granddaughter. And she said, ‘We’re trying to call the fire department, but we have no electricity or phone service.’ So, I went up the hill and called 911,” said Kathy Roberts. “And just as I was calling them - they were heading out.”
Robert’s daughter-in-law, Carmen, heard the transformer blow.
“We heard a loud noise,” said Carmen Roberts. “So I stepped outside and looked and this transformer was arching.”
Carmen says the fire spread in a matter of minutes.
“It was incredibly fast,” said Carmen Roberts. “Within two minutes it was out of our control.”
Gerald Roberts used a backhoe to cut a line around his neighbors home before firefighters arrived.
“He saved our home,” a neighbor said.
#DakotaRidgeFire2016 - better mapping from MMA puts fire at 25 acres and 20% contained. Fire turned over to LCSO... https://t.co/NnDRJmY9dO
— Larimer Sheriff (@LarimerSheriff) September 19, 2016
The fire is in the area of Dakota Ridge Road and Indian Mountain Road in Lyons, about three miles north of Rabbit Mountain Open Space.
The fire started around 9 a.m. By late afternoon, a single engine air tanker had made several slurry drops on the fire and dozens of firefighters from multiple agencies inlcuding - Lyons, Longmont and Lefthand Canyon were on the ground.
"Very grateful," said Kathy Roberts. "I love the fire department. I was just talking to one of them and I said, ‘What would we do without you?’ A lot of houses would be gone, maybe lives and definitely livestock. So, we thank God for the fire department."
Grass fire on Rabbit Mountain east of Lyons. Working on a size up. pic.twitter.com/qEP19mFtlr
— DivChf Heidi Prentup (@HeidiPrentup) September 19, 2016
Dakota Ridge Fire burning in grass and shrubs north of Lyons. No homes threatened at this point. #wildfire pic.twitter.com/Jp4q1kmnwF
— Russell Haythorn (@RussellHaythorn) September 19, 2016
The smoke could be seen in Loveland and Berthoud on Monday morning.
If you're seeing smoke to the SW of #Loveland and Berthoud, it's from this wildfire near Lyons in @bouldercounty... https://t.co/jNFKCFeseT
— Loveland Fire Rescue (@LovelandFRA) September 19, 2016
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