BOULDER, Colorado — A small wildfire on a trail near a Colorado facility where scientists study climate change, including worsening wildfires, prompted authorities to evacuate the building.
The fire started late Friday morning in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near Boulder and had burned just a few acres by early afternoon, Boulder police said. The National Center for Atmospheric Research office was closed as a precaution.
According to the Boulder Office of Disaster Management, no evacuation orders have been issued, but people who need assistance with evacuation or need to transport medical equipment should make preparations in case they need to leave.
Several hiking trails in the area were also closed.
Firefighters with air support fought the fire.
Some areas of Colorado, particularly the Front Range Mountains and foothills, started the year as the wettest on record but have since dried out significantly, said Russell Danielson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Boulder. From his office, he can see smoke from the Dinosaur Fire burning a mile away.
“We’re at record highs for this time of year, and we also have very low humidity,” he said, meaning dry vegetation can easily catch fire. Fortunately, he said, the wind wasn’t as much of a factor Friday.
The National Weather Service has issued a heat warning for the Boulder area, with temperatures forecast to soar above 100 degrees Fahrenheit Friday and throughout the weekend, adding to the fire risk.
“We want to make sure people don’t cause sparks with what they do,” he said.