A fierce wildfire named the Stone Canyon Fire has wreaked havoc north of Lyons in the Eagle Ridge area on Colorado's Front Range. The blaze has already consumed at least one house, with mandatory evacuations swiftly put into effect to ensure residents' safety. The fire, which started on Tuesday afternoon, sent billows of gray and black smoke visible from Eagle Ridge and Stone Mountain, highlighting the magnitude of the unfolding disaster.

Footage captured by CBS Colorado's news helicopter revealed a home engulfed in flames on the mountainside, with another nearby residence also under threat from the encroaching fire. The evacuation order, issued at 1:53 p.m., encompasses homes in areas north and east of Highway 36, extending north of downtown Lyons and spreading across Boulder County and Larimer County. Residents can find detailed information about the evacuation zone at www.BOCO911Alert.org.

To aid those affected, an evacuation center has been established at the Exhibit Building within the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont, accessible at 9595 Nelson Road. This serves as a refuge for displaced residents and their large animals. The Stone Canyon Fire rages south of the ongoing Alexander Mountain Fire, which ignited on Monday and forced mandatory evacuations near Loveland, leading to the closure of Highway 34 through Big Thompson Canyon.

As firefighters battle the blazes, the origin of the Stone Canyon Fire remains a mystery, with no official word on how the disaster began. Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries as communities rally together to combat the spreading flames and protect lives and property from this destructive force.