Williamsburg evacuated suddenly as fire threatened north overnight

FREMONT COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) - Unlike its neighbors, Williamsburg was not under pre-evacuation orders Sunday night.

→ Full coverage on the Aspen Acres wildfire, including links to the latest evacuation maps

“It was scary. I was sitting on the recliner just eating ice cream, playing with the dog, and all the sudden, his phone is ringing, telling us to evacuate immediately. And we’re just kind of like, 'Are you sure?'" Williamsburg resident Pamela Fleener said.

Fleener and her partner, Alex Aguirre, received the call just after 8 p.m. Sunday night that they were to evacuate immediately.

"We listened to it multiple times to make sure," Aguirre said.

The Fremont County Sheriff's Office ordered its first mandatory evacuations on Sunday in response to the "Aspen Acres" fire after the flames made a strong push north. The "Aspen Acres" fire Incident Command said strong winds from a passing thunderstorm stoked the fire in Fremont County's direction.

"No, yeah, we weren't ready," Fleener said.

Fleener and Aguirre joined their evacuated neighbors from Coal Creek, Rockvale and the surrounding communities at the Red Cross Wildfire Shelter at Pathfinder Park in Florence.

“It’s been hectic. We slept in the truck. It was hot and cramped, but we’re safe," Fleener said.

Fleener and Aguirre said they had to leave a lot behind in their haste, but they made it out with what mattered most.

"A puppy and three kittens," Aguirre said.

"That's a handful!" KRDO13's Bradley Davis said.

"Ohhh yeah," Aguirre said, while chuckling.

The "Aspen Acres" fire grew to over 91,000 acres Sunday night. It's the seventh-largest wildfire in Colorado's history. The acreage growth dropped the containment from 14% to 12%.

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