Fire on Alexander Mountain near Loveland grows to 1,000 acres amid forecast winds

More than 200 firefighters from across the state are battling a rapidly spreading wildfire that started west of Loveland. Winds of up to 30 mph (48 kph) and temperatures of over 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius) are expected to complicate efforts on Tuesday.

As of Tuesday morning, the Alexander Mountain fire was estimated at 992 acres and multiple mandatory evacuation orders remained in effect. The fire was slowly creeping downhill Monday night and had no major attacks Monday, the U.S. Forest Service said in a morning update.

Planes and helicopters will continue to fly over the fire Tuesday to secure the perimeter and protect structures, officials said. Heavy smoke is expected in the coming days as the fire continues to burn in a densely forested area in rugged terrain.

There was no containment of the fire that started at 10:30 a.m. Monday in the Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forests. No injuries or damaged structures were reported by officials.

The cause of the fire is still unknown.

Water and fire retardant were continuously poured on the fire until about 8 p.m., the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office said. Dozens of firefighters and more than 11 aircraft were called to battle the blaze, the U.S. Forest Service said.

Road closures remained in effect Tuesday, including Highway 34 between Mall Road and North County Road 29, County Road 43 between Drake and Estes Park, County Road 18E west of County Road 31, and County Road 29 between County Road 27 and Highway 34.

This is a current news item. We will update it regularly.