Growing 1,066-acre Willow Fire near Leadville sends smoke into Summit County

A wildfire that grew to more than 1,000 acres in a matter of hours near Leadville in the evening Sunday, June 28, sent smoke rolling into Summit County and led emergency officials to ask residents not to call 911 unless they detect a distinct column of smoke or flames.

Summit County’s emergency alert system notified residents shortly before 6 p.m. that smoke from what has been dubbed the Willow Fire had entered the county and may remain visible through the evening and coming days.

“Please do not call 911 unless you see a defined column of smoke originating from a single point of origin and/or can confirm you see flames,” the alert stated.

The Red, White & Blue Fire Protection District posted a similar message to social media, informing residents that smoke visible over the Tenmile Range is coming from the blaze that has spread quickly in Leadville and Twin Lakes area. 

The Willow Fire ignited Sunday afternoon around 3:30 p.m. on U.S. Forest Service land near Twin Mounds below Mount Massive — about two miles northwest of the Leadville National Fish Hatchery, according to the fire detection app Watch Duty and the Lake County Office of Emergency Management. 

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Initial estimates placed the fire at three to five acres, but by around 4:38, incident commanders estimated it had nearly quadrupled in size, according to Watch Duty. Around 5 p.m., firefighters shifted focus toward evacuating residents near Turquoise Lake and the hatchery ahead of the advancing fire. 

By Sunday evening around 6:50 p.m., Watch Duty and Egp.Wildfire.gov estimates the Willow Fire has grown to 1,066 acres.

Lake County Emergency Management issued mandatory evacuation orders early Sunday evening for multiple roads, campgrounds and trails around Turquoise Lake, including County Roads 4, 5A, 9, 9D, 48 and 99. All campgrounds surrounding the lake, all trails from the fish hatchery and trails leading to the treeline were also evacuated. Officials urged residents not to wait for an evacuation notice if they felt they were in danger, according to the county emergency management’s social media page.

Displaced residents are asked to report to the Family Assistance Center at Colorado Mountain College, while large animal owners were directed to bring livestock to the rodeo grounds on McWethy, where gates opened and first responders provided water. 

Local, state and federal firefighting resources have responded to the fire, according to Lake County Emergency Management. As of Sunday evening, no containment information has been released. 

Residents can monitor official updates through Lake County Emergency Management as firefighters continue responding to the incident.