Alexander Mountain Fire

Photo courtesy of Loveland Fire Rescue Authority

On July 29th, 2024 at 10:39 Loveland Emergency Communications Center (LECC) dispatched Loveland Fire Rescue Authority and the Loveland Canyon Battalion to a smoke investigation in the 9800 block of Hwy. 34. Dispatch received several 911 calls and advised one from the Dam Store with smoke in the mouth of the canyon west of the store and north of Hwy. 34. Engine 474 arrived to find fire on the east slope of Alexander Mountain and requested to upgrade to a 1st alarm wildland fire. An air attack was requested with around 5 to 10 acres with torching and about halfway up the mountain from the Sylvan Dale Ranch. Battalion 41 arrived on scene and assumed command at the Sylvan Dale Ranch. At 11: 15 Command requested a 2nd alarm and then a 3rd alarm was struck not too long after. Firefighters have been able to protect the communities of Cedar Cove, Cedar Park, Storm Mountain, Sylvan Dale Ranch, and eastern communities and crews also worked to safely keep fire to the north of Highway 34. Heavy aircraft operations have been used in the fire, DFPC single-engine air tankers SEATs dropped retardant on the fire and fire departments from all over the state and out of the state have helped in the fight of the fire. Command transitioned the fire to a Type 3 Team with the U.S. Forest Service. On August 1st, 2024, the Southwest Area Incident Management Team 1 took command of the fire. 26 homes were lost, 4 were damaged with 21 outbuilding lost. As of August 11th, 2024, the fire is 91% contained and has burned 9,668 acres. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Additional information provided by Loveland Fire Rescue Authority.

Initial Response:

Loveland: Engine 474 & MOD 48

1st Alarm Wildland Fire Response:

Loveland: Battalion 41, Chief 42, Chief 48, Engine 433 & Tender 43

2nd Alarm Wildland Fire Response:

Loveland: Engine 41, Engine 426 & Engine 506

Berthoud Fire Protection District: Battalion 61, Engine 623 & Tender 62

Thompson Valley EMS: Paramedic 321

Front Range Fire Rescue: Battalion 2960 & Engine 2901

Windsor-Severance Fire Rescue: Battalion 4260 & Brush

3rd Alarm Wildland Fire Response:

Loveland: Engine 50

Berthoud: Engine 616, Engine 626 & Tender 61

Poudre Fire Authority: Battalion 2 & Brush 4

Thompson Valley EMS: Paramedic 327

Added:

Loveland: Chief 40, Chief 41, Chief 43, Battalion Chief 43, Engine 42 & Tender 46

Berthoud: Battalion 62 & Engine 613

Larimer County Emergency Services: Lincoln 7, SAM 1, SAM 17, Ocean 3, Ocean 4 & IA MOD

Thompson Valley EMS: Paramedic 328

Colorado Division of Fire Prevention & Control: Battalion Chiefs, F2311, Firehawk (N3811C) & Multi-Mission Aircraft (MMA)

Added (Above the 3rd Alarm):

Aurora Fire Rescue: Brush 8.

Estes Valley Fire Protection District: Engine 713, Engine 716 & Engine 723

Glen Haven Area Volunteer Fire Department: Tender 33

Greeley Fire Department: Battalion & Brush 104 & Tender 107

Boulder Fire-Rescue Department: Brush

Hygiene Fire Protection District: Brush 2832

Longmont Fire Department: Brush

Lyons Fire Protection District: Brush 4033

Frederick-Firestone Fire Protection District: Brush 3434

Poudre: Brush 7 & Brush 14

Platte Valley Fire Protection District: Engine 3733

Platteville Gilcrest Fire Protection District: Brush

Mountain View Fire Rescue: Brush 2238 & Brush 2233

Air Support:

Billings 5AJ helicopter, Erickson Air-Crane 3AC, Coulson Tanker 133, 10 Tanker Air Carrier Tanker 912, AeroFlite Tanker 162, AeroFlite Tanker 168, ICON Helicopters N114NS, Timberline N672MP, Neptune Tanker 10, Neptune Tanker 40, Tanker 827 & Tanker 857

Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Larimer County Sheriff Wildland Crew, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, American Red Cross, American Medical Response, Colorado Department of Transportation-CDOT, Colorado Army National Guard, Poudre Valley REA, Jefferson County Horse Evacuation Assistance Team (Jeffco Heat), Colorado State Patrol, Colorado Parks and Wildlife

*Note: More Fire Departments and crews were added throughout the fire, we have tried to add all the departments that responded and/or were requested after the first day, which has became a long list. If you do not see your department listed below and like to be added, please let us know and we will add them.

Aurora Fire Rescue: Brush 8

Denver Fire Department: EM-50

Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Wildland Fire Team: Brush 3

Adams County Fire Rescue: Brush Truck 11

Brush Volunteer Fire Department: Rural Brush 924 & Rural Tender 940

Colorado River Fire Rescue: Engine 361

Colorado Springs Fire Department: Brush 4

Laramie Fire Department (Wyoming): Engine 6

North Metro Fire Rescue District: Brush 63

Oak Creek Fire Protection District: Tender 851

Sable Altura Fire Rescue: Medic 455

Stratmoor Hills Fire Protection District: Engine 418