The Pearl fire, burning in northern Larimer County, did not grow overnight, but strong westerly winds with gusts up to 40 mph forecast for Tuesday afternoon could complicate firefighting efforts.
U.S. Forest Service officials estimated the fire at 128 acres Tuesday afternoon, down 10 acres from a previous estimate, and 5% contained.
Airplanes and helicopters will continue to drop water and fire retardant over the flames to try to secure the fire perimeter and protect nearby homes and buildings, said the Forest Service, which took over command of the operations Tuesday morning from Larimer County officials.
On Tuesday, crews used a scooper to collect large amounts of water from Carter Lake and quickly drop it over the flames.
“We’ve seen no perimeter growth today, which has been a really good thing, but this wind is going to present some challenges,” incident commander Mike Smith with the Forest Service said during a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
More than 100 people were assigned to help fight the fire Tuesday, Smith said. Some crews focused on preparing homes on the eastern side of the fire, clearing shrubs and debris from around the homes, in case flames crept closer, Smith said, while others were extinguishing spot fires and digging hand lines to create fire breaks.
“Our main focus right now is on the side of the fire that is closest to the structures,” Smith said.
On the north and west sides of the fire, no houses are at risk, he added.
“The hope though is that the moist air right now, the high relative humidities, the potential for some moisture is going to overcome the potential downside of these winds,” Smith said.
Sheriff John Feyen acknowledged that the wind could be unsettling, especially for residents told to evacuate their homes.
“Unfortunately in Larimer County, this is becoming a routine for us. … We’re here to help if we can,” Feyen said. “There’s no such thing as a fire season anymore, it seems like we have fires all year round as you can tell as the temperatures drop and winds pick up and it is still going.”
Officials determined the fire was human-caused after receiving reports about smoke from a fire 5 miles northwest of Red Feather Lakes, but no further details were released. The investigation is ongoing.