LARIMER COUNTY, Col.o (KDVR) — A flash flood warning was issued for portions of Larimer County Thursday as heavy rain fell for multiple hours.
In Masonville, emergency officials had multiple crews checking water levels on streams and rivers, preparing for a potential flood outside the Masonville Post Office.
“Keeping an eye on the rivers, keeping an eye on roads,” said Derek Rosenquist, with Larimer County Emergency Services. “Seeing if we had any roads washed over, roads washed out.”
Rosenquist said a portion of County Road E had to be closed briefly Thursday afternoon after it was covered in water.
There was no major damage to roads or structures reported.
Rosenquist is also a wildland firefighter. He said the Cameron Peak Fire burn scar is definitely proving to be a problem.
“The ash is loose, there’s a lot of loose debris, and when we get these heavy rain storms, it’s easier for it to wash down off the hills,” Rosenquist said. “It can plug up culverts, which creates issues. It can possibly come up over the roads, causing erosion.”
Rosenquist said he expects flash flooding to be a concern not just this year, but next year as well.
“In a lot of the areas where the fire burned, it burned hot enough that the soils became hydrophobic, so they just shed the water, so nothing will soak in,” he said. “As long as we’re getting good rains, it’ll be an issue.”