Fire at Nederland’s Caribou Village Shopping Center prompts evacuation order

This is a developing story and was last updated at noon on Oct. 9. Read additional coverage.

A major fire early Thursday morning tore through the Caribou Village Shopping Center in downtown Nederland, destroying the complex and prompting an evacuation order for nearby residents. The incident is being referred to as the Lakeview Fire.

According to the Mountain Ear at the time, the blaze “quickly spread throughout the entire center, affecting all businesses within.” In the end, it destroyed every one of the more than a dozen businesses, wiping out a cornerstone of the community. Fire crews from the Nederland Fire Protection District and nearby agencies contained the flames and prevented them from spreading to neighboring landmarks, including The Market, the Carousel of Happiness, The Train Cars Coffee and Kava, all of which survived.

Vinnie Montez, public information officer for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, said a large amount of water was used to fight the fire, and the town remains in conservation mode. “Don’t use water unless you absolutely need to,” he said.

The Town of Nederland also urged residents Thursday to conserve water as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.

“Early this morning at the Caribou Village Shopping Center, firefighters responded to a structure fire and are still at work. The Town is dangerously low on water and we need to conserve what we have! Please share this message to help spread the word and support our community.”

The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office said a deputy on routine patrols first spotted the fire around 3:40 a.m. at 20 Lakeview Drive. A Level 3 “Go” evacuation order was issued at 4:28 a.m. for areas between Peak to Peak and Peakview and Peak to Peak and Bridge, west to Highway 119 and Hurricane Hill, as well as south of 119 between Bridge and Hurricane Hill. The evacuation order was lifted at 9:47 a.m., according to the Sheriff’s Office.

By 6 a.m., the fire had been “knocked down substantially,” Montez said at the time. Fire crews and deputies remained on scene Thursday morning to ensure the flames did not spread.

Several road closures remained in effect Thursday afternoon, including:

• A hard closure at Big Springs and Highway 119 (Bridge Street) — no eastbound traffic on Big Springs from 119.
• A closure at 119 and Lakeview — no eastbound traffic on Lakeview from 119.
• On the east side of the fire, no westbound traffic on Lakeview or Big Springs from Conger.

Officials said road closures would continue for public safety and to allow first responders to work on scene.

The fire is being investigated by the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Detective Bureau with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to determine its origin. The investigation is ongoing.

Smoke from the fire has drifted into Boulder, filling the canyon with haze. Officials said residents should not be alarmed. Prescribed burns will continue in Boulder and Superior, where conditions remain favorable.

Photos and videos of flames and heavy smoke near the Caribou Village Shopping Center began circulating on social media early Thursday. The Mountain Ear posted a video of the still-smoldering buildings around 7:15 a.m and published a gallery of photos. The losses at the Caribou Village Shopping Center will have a devastating impact on the small mountain town.

“Nederland is a very strong community and will get through this,” Montez said.

Residents can sign up for emergency alerts at BOCOAlert.org by creating an account, verifying their address and selecting up to five locations to receive text, call or email notifications.

You can also follow fire updates on the Watch Duty app for real-time incident information.