POUDRE PARK, Colo. (KDVR) — People living along Poudre Canyon are on alert after flash floods led mandatory evacuations, marking another significant event in a decade of disasters.

Susie Rasmussen and her husband have lived in Poudre Park for more than 15 years and have seen their fair share of fires and floods.

“It’s ongoing. We went through this 2012 and 2013 and things will never, ever be what they were before. Much less, with the Cameron Peak Fire and all the devastation caused from that,” said Rasmussen.

Poudre Park residents were part of the mandatory evacuation but were not impacted any further by the floods. Farther upstream, homes were destroyed and people were still unaccounted for as of Wednesday night.

“It can happen. You get a big rainfall to the west and it will flood. It can happen,” Rasmussen said.

Riding out the flood

Steve Den, a longtime resident, chose not to leave the area Tuesday. Instead, he drove his dog about 100 feet above the river to wait out the flash flood warning.

“I’ve been through four forest fires. You hope everything comes out okay,” Den said.

Den’s home was safe from the flood, but he says you understand the risks of living in this part of Colorado.

“I chose to live here. I’ve seen a lot in 35 years, and 99 percent of it has been nothing but paradise,” Den said.