Mandatory evacuation order issued due to wildfire in Colorado

UPDATE: As of 4:45 PM, the fire has reached 70 acres. Aviation resources can not assist due to strong winds. Structures are threatened. More info here.

UPDATE: As of 3 PM, the wildfire reached 30 acres. An evacuation was ordered for the impacted area of County Road 403 and Alpine Meadows Lane. The area North to Northeast of Homestake Place and County Road 403 is also under a mandatory evacuation.

Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in part of Colorado's Park County due to a grass fire burning along County Road 403.

The order was issued at 11:39 AM via Park County Emergency Communications, advising residents within one mile of County Road 403 and Alpine Meadow Lane to evacuate immediately. This is south of Lake George, near the Teller County line.

According to the Teller County Sheriff's Office, smoke is visible in west Teller County, noting that the fire is "behind Florissant Fossil Beds."

Details regarding how big the fire is have not been released. A red flag warning is currently active in southeast Park County, according to the National Weather Service, due to strong winds, dry fuel, and low relatively humidity. The red flag warning is currently set to remain active until 8 PM on Thursday evening.

An emergency shelter has been set up at the Lake George Community Center, located at 39141 US Highway 24 in Lake George.

Those with large animals and livestock are asked to take their animals to the Lake George Fairgrounds at 37371 US Highway 24 in Lake George.

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