Goat Trail Fire Contained; All Evacuation Warnings Lifted

BOULDER, Colo. - At approximately 3:19 a.m. today, Boulder Fire-Rescue responded to reports of a fire near the 200 block of Hawthorne Avenue in Boulder, near City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks land. The fire, named the Goat Trail Fire, burned approximately 1.7 to 2 acres before crews halted its spread.

Boulder Fire-Rescue responded alongside multiple mutual aid agencies, including the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, Boulder Rural Fire Rescue, Mountain View Fire Rescue, Boulder County Fire Management, Sunshine Fire Protection District, Lefthand Fire Protection District, Boulder Mountain Fire Protection District. The Open Space and Mountain Parks Rangers also provided critical support during the fire response. An evacuation warning was issued for the area(s) west of the 200 block of Hawthorne Ave. Boulder County Sheriff's Office deputies and Boulder Police Officers swiftly conducted door-to-door notifications to ensure residents were aware of the warning, as many were asleep when the fire broke out. The evacuation warning was not an official evacuation order.

Crews stopped the forward progress of the fire and an "All Clear" was issued shortly after 8:00 a.m. A planned aerial water drop was canceled around this time due to lack of need. The fire reached 100% containment at approximately 9:15 a.m.

All evacuation warnings have been lifted. No injuries were reported and no structures were lost. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

"As Boulder has experienced multiple fires in recent weeks, and as our weather conditions this spring have been warm, windy and dry, we know this can feel scary to our community," said City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde. "Our first responders are ready to act, and we are building resilience and adaptability across our city departments, which residents can learn more about by visiting our Wildfire Ready webpage. What we ask of residents right now is to stay informed, stay calm and stay prepared, and to know that we are doing the same," she said.

Boulder Fire-Rescue Chief Calderazzo echoed that message, framing it within the city's broader Wildfire Ready efforts.

"We live in a part of the world where fire is a natural part of the landscape," said Chief Michael Calderazzo. "We will never have zero fires. But what we can control is how prepared and resilient we are as a community. Our Wildfire Ready message is simple: be prepared, know your plan and help us build a Fire Adapted Community where every resident, every neighborhood and every structure is as ready as possible. That is how we make Boulder safer."

The Goat Trail on City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks land remains closed. The Sanitas Valley Trail, Dakota Ridge, Sanitas East Ridge and Sanitas West Ridge trails have been reopened since the fire was contained earlier today. Please visit the OSMP closures webpagefor trail updates.

Community members are encouraged to stay prepared and sign up for emergency alerts at www.bocoalert.org. For more information on citywide and community efforts and programs for wildfire preparedness and resilience, visit bouldercolorado.gov/wildfireready.

- CITY-