Crews are responding to Sunday flooding coming from the Lake Christine Fire burn scar near Basalt after a heavy storm rolled through the midvalley.
An emergency alert was sent out about 5:30 p.m. by officials and the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning at 5:45 p.m. for areas including Basalt and El Jebel. The warning is in effect until 8:45 p.m., the NWS said.
According to a Pitkin County alert, there is “active flooding in the Lake Christine Burn Area. Please take all necessary precautions which may include shelter-in-place or seeking higher ground. Do not enter flowing water or debris.”
An evacuation center is being set up at the Eagle County building at Crown Mountain Park. Crews are evacuating homes on Pinon Drive and Cedar Drive above the Pinon intersection.
“All persons on Pinion Road and & Cedar Drive above Pinion Road in Basalt — climb or drive to higher ground NOW. Active flooding and debris flows in area,” an alert at 6:05 p.m. warns.
Crews were first called to the area of Cedar Drive, which is up Fryingpan River, around 5:30 p.m. Crews described “significant water flows” on Cedar Drive near Pinon Drive.
The Lake Christine Fire started on July 3, 2018, and burned more than 12,500 acres on Basalt Mountain. The fire was started by two people using tracer rounds at the firing range near town.
This is a developing story that will be updated.