TELLER COUNTY, Colo. — The High Park Fire burned back on itself on Friday, forcing new mandatory and pre-evacuation orders and closing down roads in the area.
UPDATE: Videos show helicopters dousing hot spots of the High Park Fire with buckets of water.
UPDATE: Pre-evacuation notices are in effect for Rhyolite Mountain Mesa, Monarch and Lost Canyon. An evacuation shelter has been set up at Woodland Park High School. Livestock can be taken to Cripple Creek Fairgrounds.
County Road 11 is closed from milepost 3 to County Road 112.
The Teller County Sheriff’s Office will have a community town hall meeting at 1 p.m. at Cripple Creek Victor High School.
The fire’s increase in size is due to a combination of firing operations to secure indirect fireline and wind-driven fire, according to Mykell Kroll, Fremont County director of emergency management.
The fire has been most active at the southeast corner of the fire perimeter where it was spotted across Fourmile Creek.
Firefighters will continue to patrol and mop up heat sources to secure the fire’s edge in all sections.
Helicopters and air attack platforms will continue to support the firefighting effort with aerial observation and bucket drops.
UPDATE: The fire has increased to 1,172 acres with 10% containment. The briefing for this morning has been canceled.
UPDATE: A video of a press conference with the Teller County Sheriff’s office has been released below.
UPDATE: At a briefing earlier this morning, the Teller County Sheriff’s Office stated the fire was over 1,000 acres and is 10% contained. There will be another briefing for evacuated individuals at the Florissant fire station at 1 p.m.
