The first call came into Beulah Fire Protection and Ambulance District (BFPAD) at 12:58 p.m. on Saturday, April 15, with the dreaded word that there was a brush fire up NorthCreek. Things happened fast after that.
A pre-evacuation order for NorthCreek residents was changed to full evacuation order within twenty minutes. Less than an hour from the first notice an evacuation site had been opened at Roncalli Middle School and the Red Cross had been notified.
Sacramento Hot Shots and Juniper Valley Hot Shots as well as additional fire crews and air resources were requested.
Evacuation sites for animals were also set up; small animals were being accepted at the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region on Eagleridge in Pueblo, large animals, except for horses, were allowed at the State Fair Grounds, and horses were accepted at the 4 Bar S Ranch on Hwy 78.
By 4:30 p.m., according to the BFPAD, the fire had grown to 43 acres, straddling the Custer and Pueblo County lines and on U.S. Forest Service land. There was about 90 personnel working the fire from multiple agencies. A helicopter and two singleengine air tankers were making air drops and the Forest Service was just arriving. There were 17 homes in the evacuation area, but no structures had been lost.
By 6:00 p.m. the mandatory evacuation order was lifted, and the status changed to residents remaining on pre-evacuation. Traffic checkpoints were established and only residents were allowed back into the area.
At 8:00 p.m., with the fire only 10% contained the NorthCreek fire burned into the 2016 Junkins Fire burn scar which slowed the progression considerably.
Firefighters made plans to be on the scene overnight as they worked to build a fire line around where the aircraft had dropped retardant.
Sunday, April 16, day two of the fire showed huge progress, the fire made no new growth overnight and was 50% contained at 50 acres by 2:45 p.m. The pre-evacuation order for NorthCreek residents was lifted.
Sadly enough, around 11:00 a.m. came the update from BFPAD that the NorthCreek Fire had been determined to be humancaused by a campfire being utilized by a hunter. The investigation is ongoing.
By the evening of April 17, the U.S. Forest Service announced the NorthCreek Fire was 80% contained and held at 50 acres.