Mountain View Fire in Chaffee County completely contained
Celeste Springer
CHAFFEE COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office says that, as of 11:45 a.m. on July 11, the Mountain View Fire was completely contained.
The fire prompted evacuations on Thursday afternoon in the Morrison Creek Subdivision, an area of Mountain View Estates located north of Buena Vista. The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office says that pre-evacuation warnings were also issued for outside areas within 5 miles of the subdivision.
The fire, which broke out in an area about nine miles northwest of Buena Vista, sat at approximately 60 acres at one point.
Firefighters worked on the ground alongside a state helicopter that combated the flames from above.
“For the excavating company, we have our own personal water truck. So anything can help — we brought, I think, 15,000 gallons of water — and we just keep supplying these guys as much as we can,” said Carter Stromer, Buena Vista resident and volunteer firefighter on Thursday.
The sheriff’s office says evacuations have not been lifted yet. While the fire is contained, there is still a possibility, while unlikely, that it will escape the boundary of the fire and spread, the sheriff’s office said. Those in the mandatory evacuation zone, as of 12:49 p.m. on Friday, are unable to return to their homes tonight.
The Chaffee County Sheriff’s office reports that two houses have been lost in the fire. The sheriff’s office says they have contacted everyone who lost their home.
Officials say that, at this time, they do not believe the fire has entered public lands, and there is currently no concern about having to evacuate livestock in the area. As of the sheriff’s office’s last few updates, there were no injuries or deaths of either livestock or humans to report.
Map shared by Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office
Map of the pre-evacuation area shared by Chaffee County Government
All evacuees can report to the Buena Vista Sheriff’s Office at 200 Steele Drive in Buena Vista.
Photo courtesy of Shelly Birch
If you are evacuating from the fire and need a place for animals, the sheriff’s office says the Ark Valley Humane Society, located at 701 Gregg Dr., will accept small animals. Large animals can be taken to the Buena Vista Radio Grounds on County Road 321. Water is on, says the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office.
Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office says fire crews made a great initial attack on the fire with aircraft, they have crews from Chaffee County Fire Protection District, Salida Fire Department, DFPC from the state, and Federal partners, along with other mutual aid partners from neighboring counties.
Editor’s note: On July 10, we reported that at least four homes were lost to the fire. The Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office said that “four to five” structures were lost, and all were homes. By the morning of July 11, CCSO reported that prior information was incorrect, and two homes in total had been lost. During breaking news situations, first responders are coordinating with multiple crews on the ground, and information is subject to change. We apologize for the error, and are committed to providing the most accurate and up-to-date information.