When we see smoke nearby or hear about a fire burning somewhere in our area, we all get very hungry for news, and it can be difficult to tell where to find accurate information. Usually, we ask you to look to us for information on local incidents, as Crystal Lakes VFD are the boots on the ground and thus have the best idea of what’s going on.  However, when there’s a fire in or near Crystal Lakes, the members of CLVFD are usually too busy working the fire to do things like send out group emails or post on Nextdoor. 

So, until we’re able to start sending out updates, how can you find accurate information about a wildfire? 

1. Sign up at NoCoAlert.org or LETA911.org – If you do nothing else, do this today! This is our primary method of notifying you in the event of an evacuation, but you must sign up to receive these notifications.
    – This is the best way to ensure that you receive urgent emergency alerts like evacuation notices. 
    – You can request to receive alerts via cellphone, text, or email (and you can enter multiple numbers or email addresses).     

2. Visit the NoCoAlert.org website. 
    – View evacuation maps and see recent alerts that have been sent out.

3. Text NOCOALERT to 888777.
    – Receive text updates about alerts and evacuations.

4. Download the Watch Duty app. 
    – The app is run by a 501(c)3 non-profit using the volunteer labor of active and retired wildland firefighters, dispatchers, first responders, and reporters who are monitoring official sources and radio traffic to gather and repost information, which they attempt to ensure has been vetted.

5. Visit Larimer County and LETA social media pages. 
    – The Larimer County Sheriff’s Facebook page is often the first vetted source of wildfire info you’ll find online.
    – Larimer County Office of Emergency Management on Twitter @LarimerOEM
    – Links to other Larimer County social media pages are here: https://www.larimer.gov/connect-larimer-county
    – LETA on Twitter @LETA_911 and Facebook @LETA911

6. Visit Inciweb -- https://inciweb.wildfire.gov
    – Not all fires will end up on this site and they won’t show up immediately, but wildfires of any size will typically be here and regularly updated with official reports from the fire management team(s) working the fire.

7. Check the North 40 Mountain Alliance boards at the mailsheds and Slash Depot.
    –  During an incident, volunteers for North 40 will update the boards with information about fires affecting Crystal Lakes once in the morning and again in the afternoon. If power is shut off in the area, they will continue updating for as long as possible or until they need to evacuate.

8. Sign up for Crystal Lakes VFD group emails and/or watch for posts from our official Nextdoor account.
    – Any information sent out this way will be the most accurate we have access to. For accuracy, this should be a primary resource for you, and we only put it at the end of the list due to the delay in our ability to get information out, as we won’t have an opportunity to say much right away when we’re directly involved in fire operations.
    – Note: We don’t comment on the details of incidents — we consider it part of our duty to the members of our community to respect the privacy of people having, typically, one of their worst days — but we will correct misinformation on Nextdoor if it hasn’t already been addressed by someone. 

You can be assured that if we have any reason to believe that a fire will require the evacuation of all or part of Crystal Lakes, we will immediately get evacuation alerts out to you via NoCoAlert/LETA. It is the policy of both CLVFD and the Larimer County Sheriff’s Department to get people out of the danger zone as early as possible to avoid any chance of being cut off.