Willow Fire Prompts New Evacuation Orders in Colorado

Authorities battling the Willow Fire west of Leadville, Colorado have issued fresh evacuation and pre-evacuation orders as the blaze expanded by nearly 1,000 acres in one day. The evacuation order now encompasses Halfmoon Road, known for leading to popular camping sites and the Mount Massive trailhead, the state’s second tallest peak.

Nick Castro from the Southwest Area Complex Incident Management Team led efforts to contain the fire, as shown in a Saturday video. Crews anticipated that Halfmoon Road could serve as a critical line, using controlled burns and aircraft slurry drops to halt the fire’s southward spread.

“We’re using the natural terrain to guide the fire to higher elevations with less fuel,” said Nick Castro, an operations chief involved in combating the Willow Fire.

A mandatory evacuation was enforced for Zone 6A by Sunday morning. Lake County’s Office of Emergency Management mandated evacuation by noon for all residents and visitors. Preparation orders were given to Zones 1, 4, 7, and 9.

By Sunday, the situation escalated, with Halfmoon Road and nearby Lake Fork Trailer Park under mandatory evacuation. Lake County Sheriff Heath Speckman shared updates that the fire spread nearly 900 acres overnight, prompting additional warnings for areas south and southeast, affecting Twin Lakes and State Highway 82’s eastern side from Independence Pass.

Pre-evacuation zones now reach close to Chaffee County.

Shelters have been set up at Buena Vista Public Safety Complex and Battle Mountain High School. Leadville Regional Airport remains closed to non-emergency air traffic.

On Friday, prior to the fire’s growth southwards, Castro highlighted concerns over record dryness and minimal fuel moisture on the southern boundary. The blaze, ignited on June 28 in Twin Mounds, spanned 3,957 acres by Sunday morning but remains poorly contained with only 1% of firelines secured. At its initial size, it covered 2,969 acres. The cause of the fire remains unknown.

Efforts are underway from volunteers to assist evacuees by distributing donations to affected Colorado residents.