Fires Started by Lightning West of Loveland
It's another reminder that we live in a beautiful area near the Rocky Mountains, but with that beauty comes its dangers. All varieties of weather can come our way. Lightning may not be the one that is talked about the most, but it is certainly not without its presence or danger.
Two small fires were started in the Bobcat Ridge Natural Area this past Sunday by lightning. According to the Reporter-Herald, a 2-acre fire near County Road 24H west of Loveland may also have been lightning related. The Reporter-Herald story also said that Loveland Fire Rescue Authority Operations Chief Greg Ward requested a "multi-mission" aircraft to fly over the area to check on other spot fires that may have resulted in lightning strikes. As of Monday morning, Larimer County Sheriff's Emergency Operations Director Justin Whitesell told the Reporter-Herald that the aircraft was granted but not launched yet.
Larimer County's Director of Emergency Management, Lori Hodges, told the Reporter-Herald that five fires in Larimer County were started by lightning on Sunday.