Estes Park Police arrested a man on suspicion of felony arson after an illegal campfire spread the evening of July 10. Steven Poff, age 41, of Wisconsin, allegedly started a campfire on the public right-of-way next to West Elkhorn Avenue near Valley Road in Estes Park. The fire escaped containment and quickly spread through the area damaging the surrounding landscape including many large trees.
Police officers and firefighters from the Estes Valley Fire Protection District were on scene within six minutes of the 911 call at 8:27 p.m. Officers detoured West Elkhorn traffic and initiated an investigation while firefighters contained the fire. The fire was contained within 24 minutes of first responders arriving on scene and no evacuations were necessary. Firefighters confirmed that the fire was completely out the morning of July 11.
“Downtown Estes Park and nearby neighborhoods were spared from a disaster due to the quick response of our firefighters, law enforcement and dispatchers,” noted Estes Park Chief of Police Ian Stewart…