Two Fires Erupt in Boulder County
Here is what you need to know about the CalWood Fire and Lefthand Canyon Fire
By Grace Naber and Hannah Prince
Updated: 10/22/2020 at 12:41 p.m.
The CalWood Fire
- The CalWood Fire developed in Jamestown, approximately 15 miles north of Boulder.
- The evacuation areas included Jamestown and the areas northeast through Altona.
- CalWood Fire is 24% contained and has burned 10,078 acres.
- CalWood Fire is the largest fire the county has ever seen.
Lefthand Canyon Fire
- The Lefthand Canyon Fire is the second wildfire in Boulder County, approximately 11 miles west-northwest of Boulder.
- Lefthand Canyon Fire has forced the town of Ward to evacuate, including Gold Hill, Spring Gulch Road, and Gold Lake Road.
- Lefthand Canyon Fire is 43% contained and has burned 460 acres.
Boulder Emergency Operations Center - Public Information Map
This public information map is actively updated with the fire perimeter, including areas with the evacuation order and evacuation warning. It is available at http://boco.org/OEMInfoMap.
Evacuations & Resources:
If you are an evacuee or someone impacted by the wildfires and needs assistance, please refer to the information below.
Boulder Office of Emergency Management: https://www.boulderoem.com/emergency-status/
- OEM has set up a call center at 303-413-7730 for non-emergent information.
- Contact 911 for emergencies.
Red Cross: Call 1-800-417-0495
University Response
“The CalWood and Lefthand Canyon fires are not a threat to the campus at this time, despite dramatic and highly visible smoke. If any fire were to directly threaten the campus, emergency plans would be enacted and we would communicate with our campus community, including CU Boulder families, on evacuation and response efforts.”
- Russell Moore, Provost, & Patrick O’Rourke, Interim Chief Operating Officer, at the University of Colorado Boulder
Do you have questions about the wildfires, evacuation orders or emergency and support services? Contact us below.
Huge plume of wildfire smoke blows toward Denver. Oct. 17, 2020. (Video by Ethan Finver/The Bold.)
