Impact report: Alexander Mountain Fire finds minimal future human safety risks

DENVER ( KDVR ) — The Burned Area Emergency Response team completed its assessment report on the impacts of the Alexander Mountain Fire , which burned through 9,600 acres and damaged over 50 structures .

The BAER report looked into the impacts on national forest lands and values at risk in the immediate aftermath of the fire by looking at anything from environmental loss to human safety.

Alexander Mountain Fire impacts on environment

The report found many environmental variables were affected by the wildfire, including debris flows, flooding, erosion and decreased water quality.

The report said that soil erosion, ash and sediment will be on the land in the burn area for the next few years. It said that until there is stabilized vegetation, it’s likely that the water will be impacted, as well. That said, the impacts are minor.

While the wildfire affected many factors in the area, the report found there were few risks to human safety.

‘Limited risks’ to human safety

The report found limited risks to human life and safety, infrastructure, and natural and cultural resources within the burn area. While the aftermath of a wildfire often involves falling trees and loose soil, the team said there were few risks because the burn scar is far away from roads and trails and is hard to reach.

However, the report noted an increased risk of flooding.

The report said that there’s an increased risk of debris flows from heavy rainstorms in the burn area, which not only involves the forest service lands but also the Roosevelt National Forest, which is downstream.

“Everyone near and downstream from the burned area should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains over the burn scar. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events,” Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland said following the report.

While the report is complete, the response is just getting started.

The BAER team is working with the Larimer County Office of Emergency Management on their post-fire emergency response work. Meanwhile, investigations are still underway for the cause of the fire, which was determined to be human-caused.

Larimer County Sheriff’s Office reported there was an arrest in the fire investigation.

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