The Interlaken Fire, burning 12 miles southwest of Leadville, has rapidly expanded to an estimated 440 acres, more than doubling in size over the past two days. As of now, there is 0% containment of the blaze.
Fortunately, no structures, including the Interlaken Historic District buildings, are currently threatened. The National Forest Service has called in aircraft to aid in battling the fire, which started on Tuesday afternoon. The cause has been traced to an abandoned campfire that was not properly extinguished. Authorities have no leads on who left the fire unattended and have set up a tip line through the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Anyone with information about campers with a fire near the Interlaken resort between June 7th and 11th is urged to call 303-275-5266.
In response to the growing fire, pre-evacuation orders have been issued. The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has set orders for Lost Canyon Road, while the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office has issued orders for those living and recreating in the Clear Creek Reservoir area, extending north to the Chaffee/Lake County line. Emergency alerts have been sent out to notify people of the pre-evacuation notice. Residents who did not receive a notification are encouraged to register their cell phones with the Everbridge notification system by visiting chaffeesheriff.org.
Smoke from the fire is expected to continue blowing into southern Chaffee County and northern Saguache County. Authorities urge residents in these areas to stay informed and prepared for potential evacuation orders.
Efforts to contain the fire are ongoing, and the community is advised to remain vigilant and adhere to all safety directives issued by local authorities.
