High Chateau Fire in Teller County now 75 percent contained
Update July 5 – The Ranch Resorts West and Western Hills subdivisions have reopened to residents. The Teller County Sheriff has taken Las Brisas and La Montana Mesa off pre-evacuation. The fire has burned 1,423 acres and is still 75 percent contained.
Update July 4 – The High Chateau Fire in Teller County has burned 1,423 acres and is 75 percent contained as of Wednesday afternoon.
The fire was about 35 percent contained in the morning, but the Teller County Sheriff’s Office upped the containment number by about 6 p.m.
The Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team says firefighters are continuing to build and secure fire lines on the north, south, and west flanks. Other crews are working to look for hot spots. Officials say they had good luck reinforcing the southwest corner of the fire overnight.
All roads in Teller County in the area of the fire have been reopened, according to the sheriff’s office. Officials said they were confident that more areas of the fire would be contained Wednesday.
The Teller County Sheriff’s Office says the following subdivisions were reopened at 10 a.m.: Ranch Resorts (East only) in Teller County; and Panoramas, Doe Valley, Park Ridge Ranch, Slater Creek Ranch, Pike Meadows, Deer Mountain, and Four Mile Ranch.
Residents in those neighborhoods are still under a pre-evacuation notice.
Teller County deputies said they issued 17 citations for fire restriction violations. The county is under Stage 3 restrictions, click HERE for the information.
The Teller County Sheriff’s Office says no more donations are required as they’re running out of room to store the supplies.
Update 9:05 a.m. July 4 – The Teller County Sheriff’s Office reports residents in Deer Mountain and B lazy M subdivisions are allowed to return home with the proper identification.
The High Chateau Fire in Teller County is estimated at nearly 1,400 acres based on a recent infrared flight, but significant progress was made Tuesday as containment more than doubled.
The fire was reported to be 35 percent contained as of about 6 p.m. Tuesday. Earlier in the day, the fire was just 15 percent contained. The contained areas include a portion of the west and south flanks of the fire.
All of Teller County was placed on Stage 3 fire restrictions. Click HERE for a list of restrictions.
Officials said during a briefing at 1 p.m. that seven houses have been lost, and all but one family was informed of the losses. Other structures have been lost, but the Teller County Sheriff’s Office isn’t sure of the exact number at this time.
First responders say they’re “cautiously optimistic” after making progress Monday, but they’re watching weather conditions.
Residents are still being kept out of the area so that crews can address infrastructure needs like downed power lines and downed trees.
When damaged areas are made accessible, residents can pick up passes at the community assistance center being set up at Summit Elementary School in Divide. It’ll be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. starting Thursday.
A pilot car to lead Teller 11 residents to their homes may be made available beginning Wednesday.
Stick with KRDO for updates on the fire.
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Authorities also have closed a mile-long stretch of County Road 1 between the Evergreen Station and Deer Mountain Road.
The fire has forced the evacuation of 360 homes and placed 211 others on standby, or pre-evacuation, status. Authorities said those numbers may change as residents in some areas leave, return and leave again because of the fire’s changing direction.
On Sunday morning, authorities said a federal Type 1 team assumed control of the firefighting effort, which will bring in more resources.
According to the Teller County Sheriff’s Office, the fire was first reported on County Road 11 near mile marker 9 at the High Chateau subdivision in central Teller County. ( MAP )
Four to five structures have been lost, the sheriff’s office said, and authorities will assess the burned area to determine whether any of those structures are homes.
A message posted to KRDO NewsChannel 13’s Facebook page said that a home was burned in the fire, but that has yet to be officially confirmed.
On Saturday, helicopters began dropping water and retardant on the fire. Water is being used from nearby Wright Reservoir.
Many evacuees are wondering why, after two days of firefighting, there is no containment. Authorities said rough terrain, heat, low humidity and shifting winds make it difficult to determine the fire’s direction, but there should be some containment by the end of the day.
Authorities held three fire briefings Sunday at the Florissant Fire Station; all three were standing-room-only, attended by hundreds of residents.
Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell said that beginning Monday, there will be one daily briefing at 11 a.m.
“We had three (Sunday) because we felt people needed them,” he said. “But if we do that many every day, we’re taking valuable time away from the fire scene.”
Mikesell also responded to complaints that authorities were slow to provide information and that some of the information was confusing.
“There are several places on social media that had fire information we weren’t responsible for,” he said. “Then people would share or spread the information. We ask that people check the Sheriff’s Office webpage or the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. If it’s not on those pages and you haven’t heard from us, you’re not evacuated or on pre-evacuation.”
The fire is burning near the Park County line, and some residents from that county attended the briefings, concerned about how the fire may affect them.
The area is at an elevation of around 8,400 feet, which makes lifting heavy buckets of water and retardant more difficult for helicopters. Firefighting aircraft also are in high demand and short supply because of numerous fires burning in Colorado.
Mandatory Evacuations:
* Teller 1 from County Road 11 to County Road 12 – on the west side only
* Both sides of County Road 12
* Deer Mountain Road
* Slater Creek Road
* Eagle Crest Ranch at Slater Creek
* Sunrise Ridge
* Chateau West
* Highland Meadows
* High Chateau Ranch
* Dome Rock Ranch
* Living Forest Estates
* Lookout Point Road
* B Lazy M Ranch
* Park Ridge
* Doe Valley
* Pike Meadow
* Four Mile Ranch
* Olson Slater Creek
* Ponderosa subdivision
Pre-evacuation:
* All of east of Teller 1 and Teller 11
* La Montana Mesa
* Las Brisas
Residents are encouraged to remove livestock and pets out of the area and to prepare for full evacuation. Lake George arena is open for livestock. People can also take their animals to Cripple Creek Fairground and Woodland Park Saddle Club.
Woodland Park High School and Cripple Creek-Victor High School are serving as evacuation centers.
County Road 12 is closed.
The general area of the fire is known as the Four Mile community, south of Florissant in western Teller County. The area had another wildfire several years ago.
“But that was a relatively small one,” an evacuee said. “This one is larger.”
Many neighbors drive 20 miles to Woodland Park for shopping on Fridays, and the fire started and spread before many of them could return to gather personal possessions, pets and livestock. Many evacuees were unhappy at initially not being allowed to return to their homes for that purpose.
Other evacuees also were upset at what they believed was a lack of information from authorities.
A lone Woodland Park police officer was overwhelmed at times as he tried to maintain order and control a roadblock at the intersection of county roads 1 and 11.
County Road 11 to County Road 112 is now closed as well.
One evacuee said he has nearly finished building a new home and saw the fire spreading toward it when he left.
An evacuation center is set up at Cripple Creek High School, and the Red Cross said 20 people had registered to spend the night there on Friday.
“We have enough resources for 100 people, if necessary,” said Red Cross spokesman Richard Garcia.
Animals can be taken to the Teller County Fairgrounds.
Stay with KRDO.com for updates.
