BOULDER, Colo. – By 6:30 p.m. on Saturday crews from over 10 different agencies had the Bluebell Fire, just southwest of Chautauqua, 100% contained. The swift and coordinated response included air resources as well as hand crews on the ground. The cause of the fire remains undetermined though weather and powerlines can be ruled out as a cause, foul play has also been ruled out.
Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) Rangers were the first on scene and immediately began evacuating the heavily trafficked trail system, clearing hundreds of hikers, climbers and outdoor visitors from the area before fire crews arrived. Boulder Fire-Rescue quickly took command and wildland firefighters then stopped the fire’s forward progress within hours, limiting it to approximately 1.5 acres with no injuries and no structures impacted. Wildland firefighters and OSMP Rangers returned to the scene of the fire on Sunday and Monday of this week to monitor the area and conduct an investigation.
More than 100 firefighters from across the region and over a dozen assisting agencies responded to the incident. The Firehawk helicopter from the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control also played a key role in suppression efforts. It completed seven targeted water drops on the fire, each estimated at approximately 560 gallons. The helicopter retrieved water from South Boulder Campus Lake, allowing crews to quickly cool hotspots and support firefighters working on the ground.
“This response demonstrated the strength of our regional partnerships,” said Fire Chief Michael Calderazzo. “Our OSMP Rangers were first on scene and immediately began evacuating people from the trail system; wildland firefighters quickly moved into the area to limit the fire’s spread and law enforcement supported evacuation efforts and traffic control to only name a few things. This collaborative work is what allowed us to so efficiently contain the fire and protect the community.”
Wildland firefighters and OSMP Rangers returned to the scene of the fire on Sunday and Monday of this week to monitor the area and conduct an investigation. The Bluebell trail and area closures remain in effect through this weekend to continue monitoring burned areas but are expected to reopen by Tuesday, Mar. 10. Trail updates can be found on the OSMP webpage.
Boulder Fire-Rescue and the City of Boulder are grateful for the assistance of the following agencies in the Bluebell Fire: Mountain View Fire Rescue, Louisville Fire Protection District, Boulder Emergency Squad, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office and Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Fire Management, Boulder Police Department, Boulder Rural Fire Protection District, Sunshine Fire Protection District, Four Mile Fire Protection District, Boulder Mountain Fire Protection District, Lefthand Fire Protection District, Lyons Fire Protection District, the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, and Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Rangers.
The quick containment of the Bluebell Fire highlights the effectiveness of coordinated wildfire response and the critical role of early detection and evacuation in protecting the Boulder community and its open spaces.
While this fire only enacted an evacuation warning, events like these are a good reminder to sign up for emergency alerts if you haven’t already. Visit bocoalert.org to opt into the Boulder County emergency alert system. Please text BOCOINFO to 888777 to receive informational texts during large-scale incidents when the Emergency Operations Center is activated.
