Alexander Mountain Fire evacuees still awaiting green light to return home

LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — It's been nearly a week since the Alexander Mountain Fire forced hundreds of families from their homes, and many are still waiting to hear when they'll be able to return to their properties and check on them.

Denver7 spoke with Kelly Atkins outside of the Foundations Church in Loveland, which has operated as a shelter since Monday.

"It was it was burning right above us," Atkins said.

He said that he was at work in Brighton when he heard about the fire. He was able to go home and quickly grab a few belongings before evacuating.

"You grab a few things that are special and maybe valuable, and you bring them down, but then you start thinking of all the little things that you left," he said.

Atkins said he stayed with family for the first couple of days and then checked into a hotel. But he adds that he's been stopping at the Foundations Church to connect with resources.

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"These guys have been great. They've got people camping here," he said.

Gary Zawilinski works for the Red Cross and has been the shelter supervisor at the Foundations Church evacuation center. He said people have been coming in for food, shelter, and other resources.

"Some people need help with fuel for their RVs or just supplies that they're running out of," said Zawilinski. "Some people are coming in because hotels are getting too expensive to stay in. They're pretty distraught. It's been a week now almost, so they're getting kind of mentally, emotionally worn down, worried about what condition the house is in."

Atkins said he found out that his home is still standing but is still worried about other impacts, such as smoke damage.

"You want to just get back and find out what you've got," he said.

Evacuation centers are set up at:

• Foundations Church, 1380 Denver Ave, Loveland
• Estes Park Events Complex, 1125 Rooftop Way, Estes Park
• Boulder County Fairgrounds, Exhibit Building, 9595 Nelson Rd, Longmont