New fire breaks out in Colorado mountains

A new wildfire has broken out in Lake County, Twin Lakes, Colorado. This alpine community is west of Denver, halfway between Buena Vista and Leadville, Colorado. Large amounts of smoke were produced by the fire Tuesday afternoon. The extent of a lockdown is unknown at this time. There are no active red flag warnings in effect for Colorado and the cause of the fire is unknown at this time. Twin Lakes is one of the bookend towns of Independence Pass, flanked on the other side by Aspen. This is a seasonal route open from May to October and popular with hikers and campers.

According to local emergency officials, “There is a forest fire near Interlaken, in the Twin Lakes region. Leadville/Lake County firefighters are on scene. Avoiding the affected area is essential to allow first responders to work effectively. Please avoid sending too many inquiries while they coordinate resources. Stay tuned for further updates as more information becomes available. “

There is some rain forecast for Colorado, but unfortunately not over the Twin Lakes area. Instead, storm development will affect the southern Colorado Front Range and northern New Mexico. The Storm Prediction Center [SPC] issued a MARGINAL (level 1 of 5) risk of strong storms in the area. Heavy rains accompany these strong storms, with a risk of flash flooding, particularly in sensitive areas. Remember to never drive through flood water if the water appears to be more than half a foot deep or if you cannot determine the depth of the water.