The Cameron Peak fire near Chambers Lake, about 60 miles west of Fort Collins, continues to spread as it burns in heavy timber stands over rugged terrain.

Hot, dry, windy weather, combined with critically dry fuels has been driving rapid fire growth. The Type 2 Rocky Mountain Incident Management Blue Team assumed command of the fire at 6 a.m. Saturday, according to the Incident Information System.

Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for residents and businesses, according to an emergency alert sent from the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO).

The message said there is “immediate and imminent danger” from what’s been dubbed the Cameron Peak Fire. It has since grown to 15,738 acres and there are 558 personnel working the fire, according to the Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center.

Anyone in the are area from the intersection of Highway 14 and County Road 103 north to Four Corners, as well as the areas around Chambers Lake should evacuate the area as quickly as possible, the message said.

Deputies are asking that people avoid going to Poudre Canyon and the Red Feather Lakes areas because of the fire.

At a Facebook Live meeting Saturday evening, Type 2 Rocky Mountain Incident Management Blue Team officials said that the other Colo. wildfires are using up valuable resources, making the fire harder to fight.

Residents near Spring Valley, south of Glenwood Springs and north of Carbondale, were evacuated for yet another wildfire, the Red Canyon fire, formerly named Fisher Creek fire, according to the Carbondale & Rural Fire Protection District.

Officials say the fire is 30-40 acres. Residents in the High Aspen, Coulter Ranch and Homesteads Estates were evacuated to the Roaring Fork High School.

The Garfield County sheriff announced on Twitter that the evacuations were lifted and the fire is controlled Wednesday at 8:16 p.m.

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