LOVELAND, Colo. — Crews working the 9,668-acre Alexander Mountain Fire in Larimer County have nearly reached full containment more than two weeks after the destructive blaze started.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, the fire was 94% contained as of Tuesday, and the last evacuation orders were lifted on Monday.
The Alexander Fire was first reported at around 10:38 a.m. on July 29 near the community of Drake. It forced the evacuations of more than 5,000 people in the area and destroyed 26 homes and 21 outbuildings. No injuries were reported.
The fire was one of several that blew up that week. The next day, a wildfire—the Stone Canyon Fire—erupted in neighboring Boulder County, destroying five homes and killing one person .
Forest officials determined that the fire on Alexander Mountain was human-caused . However, they are still investigating how it sparked and are seeking possible witnesses who were near the mountain’s peak in the late morning hours of July 29.
The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office opened a disaster assistance center on Friday, helping to connect residents affected by the fire to resources.