On March 12, 2026, Northern Colorado was thrust into a state of high alert as powerful winds and parched conditions fueled a wildfire near Terry Lake, just north of Fort Collins. What started as a seemingly small blaze quickly escalated, prompting swift action from emergency officials, widespread evacuations, and a tense afternoon for thousands of residents and businesses in the area.
According to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, the fire—dubbed the Starry Fire—ignited in an area dense with trees and dry grasses, sending a dramatic plume of smoke billowing above the treeline. The blaze was first reported around late morning, and by noon, authorities had issued mandatory evacuation orders for neighborhoods stretching from Terry Lake Road south to Vine Drive, and from Highway 287 west to North Overland Trail. The evacuation zone also included the North Shields Ponds Natural Area and McMurry Natural Area, both located on the northern edge of Fort Collins, as reported by The Denver Gazette.
For many, the day began like any other, but the situation changed rapidly. “We immediately lost power, and we heard there was smoke behind the shop and we started the evacuation process,” recounted Jerry Devlin, co-owner of Wray Plumbing and Heating, whose business found itself in the direct path of the flames. His colleague, Curt Lynch, described the chaos: “The smoke was rolling going across 287. You couldn’t even see. Traffic was backed up. Cars were pulling off into our parking lot. It was pretty bad,” he told FOX31.
Mandatory evacuation notifications were sent to 2,401 contacts, according to the Larimer County Office of Emergency Management. Residents scrambled to leave, causing traffic jams as they tried to escape the danger zone. The Poudre Fire Authority responded quickly, upgrading the incident to a two-alarm fire due to the abundance of dry brush and the threat posed by the high winds. Public Information Officer Annie Bierbower explained, “You can see all these trees; there’s a lot of dry brush, so we upgraded to a second alarm.”
Visibility in the area was severely limited, with videos posted by Poudre Fire Authority showing thick smoke and blowing dust making it difficult for both emergency crews and drivers. Northbound Highway 287 was temporarily closed, not only because of the fire but also due to downed power lines, as confirmed by the Colorado Department of Transportation. The closure underscored the wider impact of the day’s extreme weather conditions, which also led to the shutdown of Interstate 25 from Fort Collins to Cheyenne, as reported by KUNC.
The fire’s reach was not limited to just homes and businesses. Poudre School District decided to close its mountain schools, along with Eyestone Elementary and Rice Elementary, citing safety concerns. Colorado State University’s Larimer County campus canceled all classes, meetings, and activities starting at 3:30 p.m., urging students and staff to leave campus and remain indoors until further notice. The disruption was widespread, affecting nearly every facet of daily life in the region.
Power outages added another layer of difficulty. Xcel Energy estimated that about 26,000 residents across Colorado were without electricity Thursday afternoon, with many of the 151 outages being unplanned. Wellington, a nearby town, also experienced outages as intense gusts—expected to reach up to 90 miles per hour—toppled trees and power lines.
By early afternoon, the situation began to improve. Just before 1 p.m., the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office announced that the fire had been contained and was entering the clean-up phase. The mandatory evacuation orders were lifted, and a NOCO Alert notified residents that they could return to their homes and resume normal activities. “You may return to the area and resume normal activity,” the alert reassured, as cited by The Denver Gazette.
Fire crews remained on the scene, working diligently to extinguish hot spots and prevent any rekindling of the blaze. FOX31’s Vicente Arenas, who witnessed the fire reignite briefly in the afternoon, reported that it was quickly put out and that firefighters stayed on site to ensure the area was safe. The fire ultimately burned approximately two acres, but thanks to the coordinated efforts of emergency services, no major injuries or fatalities were reported.
While the Starry Fire was brought under control relatively quickly, it was not the only incident to test the region’s resilience that day. A separate blaze near Bellevue, west of Fort Collins, was also extinguished early Thursday afternoon. The National Weather Service had placed the entire Front Range under a Red Flag Warning, indicating a heightened risk for wildfires due to the combination of high winds and dry conditions. The warning was set to remain in effect until 9 p.m., with an additional fire weather alert issued for the following day.
For residents and officials alike, the events of March 12 served as a stark reminder of the volatile relationship between Colorado’s climate and its communities. The rapid escalation of the Starry Fire, fueled by winds that at times approached hurricane force, demonstrated just how quickly conditions can shift from routine to dangerous. The day’s events also highlighted the importance of clear communication, swift emergency response, and community preparedness in the face of natural disasters.
Looking back, it’s clear that a combination of factors—well-coordinated emergency alerts, effective firefighting strategies, and the cooperation of local residents—helped avert a much larger catastrophe. As the Front Range continues to grapple with the realities of increasingly frequent extreme weather, the lessons learned from the Starry Fire will no doubt shape future responses and planning efforts.
As cleanup crews finished their work and the region slowly returned to normal, the community’s resilience shone through. It was a day of disruption, anxiety, and uncertainty, but also one of collective action and relief as the worst-case scenarios were narrowly avoided.