Local firefighters are responding to a wildfire in Lefthand Canyon northwest of Boulder. The fire began about 10 a.m. near an area known as Chaos Hill, on U.S. Forest Service land at mile marker 3.7. The fire was close to 200 acres in size as of 3 p.m. and was producing a high volume of smoke that is visible from campus.
There is no threat to the campus at this time.
A call center for residents of the area is available at 303-413-7730. Do not call 911 unless it is an emergency. Anyone who lives in or around the area affected by the road closures and evacuations, or who is impacted by the events related to the fire, should contact the call center for assistance.
Homes on the north side of Lefthand Canyon Drive have been ordered evacuated, specifically homes from the 3000 block of Lefthand Canyon Drive to Foothills Highway. Evacuees are encouraged to check in at an evacuation center at the YMCA at 28th Street and Mapleton Avenue in Boulder.
Though the Front Range area has seen precipitation of late, field grasses dry quickly and can quickly ignite from a heat source. With continued dry conditions and high winds, CU faculty, staff and students are advised to take fire precautions in their residences and when driving near grasslands.
Avoid using candles or leaving them unattended. Do not extinguish a cigarette by throwing it out of a moving car or into a field. When using any equipment that might produce sparks, remove any material around you that could serve as fuel for a fire, and do not conduct such work near dry grass.
Firefighters earlier this morning responded to the Longmont Dam Fire about three miles west of Lyons -- or about 15 miles northwest of Boulder. Fire control efforts are still under way at that site and there is no threat to the campus from that fire.
The entire Front Range foothills area remains under a red flag warning for the rest of the day due to high winds and dry conditions.
For more information, visit the Boulder County Office of Emergency Management website at or call 303-413-7730.