This story was last updated at 8 a.m. on March 5. The Heil Fire was reported 100% contained around 8 p.m. on March 4.
Wildfire crews are responding to a vegetation fire near Boulder at Heil Valley Ranch, where park rangers closed the park and asked visitors to leave trailhead and parking areas.
The blaze, being referred to as the Heil Fire, is burning near Geer Canyon Drive in the Heil Valley Ranch area.
The fire is within the burn scar of the 2020 CalWood Fire, which burned more than 10,000 acres in the foothills northwest of Boulder.
In an update around 6:30 p.m., Vinnie Montez, a public information officer with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, said firefighters had made strong progress on the blaze, including helicopter water drops that helped slow its spread.
“They’re not concerned about the fire right now,” Montez said.
He said no structures have been lost and none are currently threatened. The fire is expected to continue smoldering overnight within the burn scar, with firefighters monitoring the area and continuing work on the fire Thursday.
Initial reports from emergency radio traffic estimated the fire at about 30 by 30 feet in size. It later grew to roughly two acres as crews responded.
The Left Hand Fire Protection District said in an evening update that the Heil Fire is now mapping at about 7.6 acres.
Fire officials said the fire is burning in steep terrain with a large number of downed trees, making access difficult for firefighters. Those downed trees may continue producing smoke and occasional flames until crews are able to safely reach the entire area.
As nightfall approached, firefighters continued working to secure the fire and plan to safely continue operations in the morning, according to the district. Multiple agencies are assisting with containment and extinguishment efforts.
Officials are asking the public to avoid the area around Lefthand Canyon Drive and Geer Canyon Road while crews continue to respond.
The sheriff’s office said around 3:45 p.m. that first responders were either on scene or actively responding to the fire.
“Please stay out of the area and let first responders and fire personnel deal with this wildland fire,” Montez said in a recorded update.
Montez also clarified that no official emergency alerts or evacuation orders were issued. Instead, park rangers closed Heil Valley Ranch and asked visitors to leave the parking areas while crews responded.
Residents may see haze or smoke lingering overnight, Montez said. Officials asked people to call 911 only if they see flames outside the current burn area.
Photos shared by the Left Hand Fire Protection District show a Firehawk helicopter from the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control assisting with water drops, along with resources staged at the Picture Rock Trailhead.
This is a developing situation. Boulder Reporting Lab will update as more information becomes available.
