Live updates: NCAR Fire breaks out in Boulder

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BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) — The City of Boulder has lifted all evacuation notices for the NCAR Fire as of 5 p.m. Sunday. Officials asked residents to stay vigilant as they return home as the fire is not expected to be fully extinguished for several more days.

Update 4:00 p.m.: Containment is up to 35% according to officials.

Update 12:45 p.m.: According to the Boulder Office of Emergency Management, with the potential of continued fire activity and active fire suppression, all the evacuation areas from Saturday night are still in place.

Update 10:40 a.m.: According to officials and the latest multi-mission aircraft, the burn area is 189 acres.

Update 9:30 a.m.: Officials are reporting zero injuries, zero damage to structures, and zero missing people.

Update 9:20 a.m.: Boulder officials gave a rough estimate that the fire grew to roughly 200 acres with 21% containment.

Update 8:25 a.m.: The City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks trails from Chautauqua south to Eldorado Springs Drive remains closed.

Update 7 a.m., March 27: The Boulder Office of Emergency Management released an updated evacuation map overnight (see above).

The new evacuation map has a RED area that remained closed all night. There are hard closures at the intersections of Cragmoor Road and Lehigh Street, Bear Mountain Drive and Wildwood Road, and at Highway 93 and Eldorado Springs Drive. The town of Eldorado Springs remains evacuated.

Update 8:55 p.m.: Authorities said earlier Saturday the fire started around 2 p.m. and is currently estimated at 126 acres with zero containment at this time.

Two neighborhoods have been evacuated, the southeast section of the Table Mesa neighborhood and the Eldorado Canyon area. Evacuation areas consisted of 19,400 people, and 8,000 homes and 7,000 structures.

Update 8:20 p.m.: Rangers with Eldorado Canyon State Park confirmed that everyone in the park has been evacuated.

Update 7:10 p.m.: Boulder firefighters are working actively in the Stony Hill neighborhood and south of the area to protect homes if the winds shift west and cause the fire to spread toward the City of Boulder.

So far, no structures have been damaged, and the fire is continuing to move south, according to Boulder Fire Rescue.

Update 5:23 p.m.: According to the Boulder Office of Emergency Management, the evacuation area includes 19,000 people and 8,000 homes. The fire is at 123 acres and 0% containment. An interactive map for all evacuations can be found here.

Update 5:17 p.m.: Northbound Colo 93 is closed at Colo 128 and Colo 170. There is no access to Boulder via Colo 93.

Update 5:12 p.m.: The Boulder County Fairgrounds is now accepting large animals that have been evacuated. Their location is 9595 Nelson Road.

Update 4:57 p.m.: An evacuation order has gone out for the Eldorado Springs area and Sans Souci community.

Update 4:50 p.m.: According to officials the NCAR Fire is about 60 acres in size and at 0% containment. Multiple agencies are responding including 50 firefighters.

Update 4:46 p.m.: The East Boulder Community Center at 5660 Sioux Dr. is open as an evacuation point. Evacuees and household pets are welcome.

Update 4:35 p.m.: Gov. Polis has tweeted that a state-contracted firefighting aircraft is headed to the NCAR Fire.

Update 4:32 p.m.: A pre-evacuation warning has gone out for the areas west of Highway 93, north of Eldorado Canyon State Park, east side of Walker Ranch Open Space and South of Greenbriar Boulevard.

Update 4:22 p.m.: The NCAR Mesa Lab and surrounding areas are being evacuated.

Update 3:56 p.m.: According to the Boulder Office of Emergency Management, “The evacuation notice for the NCAR Fire went wider than intended.”

Update 3:55 p.m.: The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is accepting evacuated animals. Free pet food and supplies are available.

Update 3:18 p.m.: Eldorado Canyon State Park is currently closed. The park was at full capacity and rangers are working to get all visitors out.

Update 3:15 p.m.: University of Colorado Boulder South Campus is being evacuated.

A wildfire broke out Saturday afternoon in the Eldorado Canyon area.

According to a tweet from Boulder Police Department, a fast-moving fire — now being called the NCAR Fire — has broken out in the open space next to the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Those with cell phones within one-fourth mile of NCAR are being sent notifications to evacuate.

Heavy smoke can be seen across Boulder. Rocky Mountain Arsenal was working on a prescribed burn Saturday but has since shut down to assist in fighting the wildfire.

Authorities say 1,200 people are being ordered to evacuate immediately in the area seen here, the area includes Martin Acres, Frasier Meadows, Table Mesa and down to Fairview High School.