Firefighters Report 'Pitch Black' Skies Near Estes Park as East Troublesome Fire Spreads

Mandatory evacuations orders were issued for additional communities around Estes Park in Colorado on Thursday, October 22, as the East Troublesome Fire continued to spread into the Rocky Mountain National Park.

The wildfire had burned over 125,000 acres by Thursday, officials said. The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office issued a mandatory evacuation order for the western part of Rocky Mountain National Park and western parts of Estes Park. Residents were instructed to evacuate as quickly as possible.

Town officials said all routes into Estes Park had been closed. Rocky Mountain National Park was also closed, and park officials warned that air quality was “hazardous.”

This footage was posted by the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority, who said it was filmed driving to Estes Park on Highway 34 at 2.38pm on Thursday. Credit: Loveland Fire Rescue Authority via Storyful