Hayden Pass Fire evacuees to return home after fire
Many Hayden Pass Fire evacuees will get to return to their homes on Tuesday.
The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office started evacuating people last Sunday when the fire blew up.
“The smoke and the flames were right there within a half a mile so I was like let’s go, we got it get going honey,” said Val Kienast.
Kienast was one of the first to evacuate. While he’s been out of his home for more than a week, he said the experience has been OK thanks to the work for firefighters and law enforcement.
“One of the firefighters that is a friend of ours told us they were in our house today. Said everything looks good inside,” said Kienast.
Starting Tuesday at 8 a.m., homeowners living on County Roads 1A, 35, 40 as well as Eagle Peak and Fox Creek subdivisions will be able to go home.
Residents on County Road 6 have to wait until fire managers secure the area. Residents are told that could happen by the end of this week.
Evacuees registered with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office at Cotopaxi School on Monday evening. They registered their cars and received passes. Starting Tuesday, deputies stationed at road blocks will verify their passes and licenses plates before they can get through.
The sheriff’s office is only opening the roads up to homeowners to limit traffic on the roads so firefighters can move quickly on them. Residents who do go home are asked to limit the trips they make in and out of the roadblocks.
The Red Cross handed out buckets full of cleaning supplies to evacuees on Monday after they registered for their passes. Red Cross spokesperson Bill Fortune said it will take a long time to clean up.
“If you are dealing with smoke, water and slurry damage, it can still take a week or more to get the smell out. And to get the smoke smell out, it’s going to take a long time,” said Fortune.
Evacuees are grateful for the news they can go back and that they have a home to return to.
“It’s been a little inconvenience but nothing compared to what it could have been to loose your whole home so we have been good,” said Rayann Gillespa.
“It is awesome, I cannot tell you how hard it is to adjust to living some place else and nothing having your stuff,” said Jill Kienast.
