Basalt firefighter loses home to flames while battling blaze

Cleve Williams has volunteered with the Basalt & Rural Fire Protection District for the past 27 years, but in the midst of protecting his neighbors’ homes from the Lake Christine Fire, his own home went up in flames.

The Lake Christine Fire burned 5,263 acres in Eagle County and wasn’t contained at all as of the latest update Thursday evening.

Williams was one of the crew members working on a fire line when his house on Missouri Heights caught fire early Thursday, according to the Aspen Times. His home was one of three that burned to the ground when winds shifted late Wednesday night.

Williams evacuated his family Wednesday night, and they haven’t been able to get back to their property.

When community members found out about Williams’ loss, they started organizing ways to help him rebuild. A GoFundMe account was set up and reached more than $10,000 in 12 hours. Williams’ family has reached out to the organizer of the fundraiser to set up beneficiary status.

“He has helped all of us, now we must help him,” a neighbor wrote on the fundraiser page.

Kara Williams also asked for people to donate to the Basalt & Rural Fire Protection District, saying, “Thank-you notes and checks made out to ‘Basalt Fire Volunteers’ can be sent to Basalt Fire, 1089 JW Drive, Carbondale, Colorado, 81623.”