About 18,000 people along the Front Range could lose power Saturday as Xcel Energy braces for more powerful winds expected to create dangerous fire conditions.
The shutoff is expected to begin around 2 p.m. and impact Jefferson and Boulder counties, where the most severe conditions are forecast, the utility company said.
Restoring outages, from the wind or a preemptive shutoff, could take “several hours to several days” as crews inspect power lines and repair any damage before they can be safely re-energized, the utility company said. Conditions are expected to start improving between 5 and 6 p.m., though high winds that could create high wildfire risk and cause outages are expected to continue through the weekend.
Any fires that spark Saturday could spread uncontrollably and be very destructive, National Weather Service forecasters in Pueblo warned. A red flag warning was issued for nearly two-thirds of the state, including all of the Front Range and Eastern Plains, ahead of 25 to 35 mph-winds with gusts up to 55 mph. Minimum relative humidity levels could reach as low as 8%.
Xcel announced the shutoffs Friday as strong winds closed Colorado State University and kept communities on high alert amid elevated critical fire danger for the second day in a row.
A red flag warning was in effect Friday for the Interstate 25 corridor and northeastern plains due to winds between 25 and 40 mph and gusts up 50 mph near the foothills and Wyoming border.
Even stronger winds, with gusts up to 70 mph, are expected Saturday. Forecasters expect some relief Sunday as a cold front moving across the state brings lower temperatures.
The weather prompted the closure of Colorado State University, which canceled all in-person and remote classes Friday for Fort Collins campus while crews assessed damage from the high winds. Damaged trees are the primary concern, the university said.
Boulder County officials, on high alert after a wildfire sparked near Chautauqua Park earlier this month, will close all hiking trails and open space areas west of U.S. 36 at sunset through Saturday because of the high winds and extreme fire danger.
Park rangers will begin to reopen areas starting Sunday if no immediate safety concerns are visible from the parking areas.
“This is a precautionary measure to protect lives and property as we face a high-risk day,” Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde, the city manager, said in a statement.
Smoke from fires burning in Nebraska, including the 330,000-acre Morrill fire, also made skies hazy across eastern Colorado on Friday. A state of emergency was called for seven counties in Nebraska as several wildfires broke out Thursday and raced across dry fuels.
In response to the high fire risk, officials at Rocky Mountain National Park implemented a stage 2 fire ban, barring all campfires in the park. The ban is in effect indefinitely.
Semitruck roll overs, closed schools and power outages
The winds wreaked havoc across major Front Range roads Thursday, prompting officials to shut down several highways. Parts of I-25 were closed after four semitrucks were knocked over by the winds blocking the highway in Weld and Larimer counties. One driver was brought to the hospital, according to an initial report from the Colorado State Patrol. The extent of the driver’s injuries was not immediately known.
Sections of Colorado 93, from south of Boulder to near the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge, were also closed due to another semitruck rolling over and low visibility.
Schools in mountain communities were closed Thursday because of the high fire risk. Colorado State University officials reported downed trees and damage to buildings on its Fort Collins campus.
Students and faculty were advised to leave campus whenever possible in an alert.
“Remain indoors until you are able to leave. Use caution when traveling and be aware of debris,” the university warned.
A small grass fire sparked in Laporte, north of Fort Collins, around noon and forced mandatory evacuations, before firefighters got the flames under control and people could return home about an hour later.
More than 80 first responders were called to the area as 90-mph gusts pushed the fire through heavy brush toward a residential area, the Poudre Fire Authority said. People called 911 to report flames reaching 40 to 50 feet tall.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.