BOULDER (LALATE) – UPDATE. The FourMile Canyon Fire (fire map below) in its advance toward Boulder has taken dozens of homes. The FourMile Canyon Fire was updated in a news conference this morning indicating to residents that  “multiple and/or dozens” were destroyed. On Monday, news reports indicated  some structures have been lost, including single family homes. Today, four homes owned by firefighters were confirmed lost to the blaze.

“This [Four Mile] fire is active and an uncontrolled and continues to burn… Because of these efforts we cannot report an accurate list of those homes lost or damage” alerts residents and news currently on a new telephone call center. At 10 AM today, The Boulder Office of Emergency Management updated local news and residents that “A new incident call center has been established to assist city and county residents affected by the wildfire and evacuations. Residents are asked to contact this call center at 303-413-7730 instead of calling 911 or the city and county dispatch lines unless there is a new emergency to report.”

Local residents have been blogging and commenting online about difficulties with the area’s reverse 911 call center system. On the Daily Camera, one resident at the base of Sugarloaf mountain writes the problems the 911 call center presented with loss of power lines. “[R]ight after the power went out the phone rang. I answered it and the message was “this is a 911 reverse call press 1 for the message” .. The key pad doesn’t work without power … Who ever developed the software didn’t take into account that today’s phones need power to operate the key pad. The message should have told us what was going on without pressing 1.”

The alert system as of midday reports “no change” to evacuation areas since Monday. It notes the evacuation shelter remains at the CU Coors Event Center.

Boulder County officials updated local news at a press briefing this morning that the fire has burned 3500 acres, has resulted in evacuations of 3000 residents in namely steep foothills west of the City of Boulder. No evacuations nor threats within the City of Boulder have been issued.

Alert systems deployed, says Boulder County officials to local news, include 100 firefighters, 35 engines from 30 local agencies, three aircraft that have run 18 sorties of 40,000 gallons of retardant, and additional newly deployed unnamed aircraft.

Road closures were updated in the briefing with Boulder Canyon Drive reopened to traffic Monday evening. Fourmile Canyon Drive and Sugarloaf Road remain closed. Lefthand Canyon Drive and James Canyon Drive are open from U.S. Highway 36 to Jamestown. Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Lee Hill Drive and Lick Skillet Road.

In a news statement today, Melany Bayoud, Web Communication Specialist for the Boulder County Public Health, says residents 50 miles within the FourMile’s front line need to remain inside if you suffer from a lung or heart disease or “continue to experience [certain] symptoms”  She adds that if you aren’t sure how far you are from the fire and exhibit symptoms to simply stay inside if you can see the blaze or smell its smoke.

BVSD mountain schools are closed today including Jamestown, Gold Hill and Nederland elementary schools, as well as Nederland Middle/Senior High School.

For continuing coverage of this and other possible fire outbreaks, click here: http://news.lalate.com/category/fires.


View Fourmile Canyon Fire in a larger map
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Boulder Office of Emergency Management News Updates:
Online: here | On Twitter: here
Boulder Valley School District News Updates:
Online: here | On Twitter: here
Boulder County Health News Update:
Online: here