Interlaken fire started by abandoned campfire | Local News

On June 12 at 8 p.m., the U.S. Forest Service informed the public that its investigator had determined the cause of the Interlaken Fire, which is still active and uncontained.

The investigator determined the fire originated from an abandoned campfire 200 feet from the Interlaken Trail and 1.5 miles from the trailhead. The campfire was started in a rock ring and was not properly extinguished. The Camp Fire is believed to have burned for several days before the June 11 wildlife report.

There are currently no leads as to who left the fire unattended. The Lake County Sheriff's Office and the United States Forest Service will use a tip line to identify potential suspects. Authorities asked anyone with information regarding campers near the Interlaken resort between June 7 and 11 to call the tip line at 303-275-5266.

The Interlaken fire was first reported at 1:35 p.m. on June 11. As of 5 p.m., the fire was reported to have covered 164 acres. Despite mitigation efforts, the fire spread south and covered 400 acres by midday on June 12. No injuries were reported.

In total, 120 responders were on site to work on mitigation and protection efforts. These speakers come from local, state and federal groups. The response team used helicopters to drop water and fire retardant, aircraft to map the fire and ground crews to mitigate the spread. The response team told the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) that an additional ground crew and another aircraft are expected to join the effort.

The United States Forest Service has closed the Interlaken trailhead and parking area, Willis Gulch Trail, Sheep Gulch Trail, segments of the Colorado Trail in the Twin Lakes area, Forest Road 399 and camping scattered around the lake. Developed campgrounds are still open in the region. Pre-evacuation advisories are in place for the Lost Canyon, Cache Creek and Clear Creek areas.

In its public communications, the United States Forest Service has reiterated that rock rings must be properly constructed, without gaps and kept away from flammable materials. They also said that coals and embers can retain heat for long periods of time and can ignite from wind if not watered properly.

The U.S. Forest Service has created a Facebook page called Interlaken Fire Information that will post updates on the situation. They also told the BOCC they could hold in-person informational meetings where the public could ask questions daily or every other day.