Colorado man continues trying to save his home from wildfire: "It's a war zone up here"

Andy Hitch, whose home is in the path of the Alexander Mountain fire, describes the area around his home as "a war zone," as he, neighbors and fire crews wage a nonstop battle against encroaching flames.

Hitch, 54, rebuffed evacuation orders and has stayed behind in his mountain community, trying to save what he calls his "dream home."

He said several other neighbors are also still hunkered down in the Storm Mountain area, digging hand lines and trying to save their properties.

Although communication has been spotty, Hitch, who owns an ATV adventure business in Estes Park, told CBS News Colorado by text message his neighbors "are defending other homes west of me with hand lines and water trucks. They're working hand in glove with on-the-ground firefighters. Tons of air support up here."

He has shared videos and still photos of the area with CBS News Colorado.

"Fire crews are staged on my property. It's 67 acres. They're using it as a defensive zone. They're backburning 200 feet from my house and air crews are dropping all around my property perimeter to try and encapsulate it in one area. This is the 'line in the sand,'" he said.

He has lived in the Alexander Mountain region since he was eight or nine years old, buying what he called his dream property in 2018. When the fire blew up Monday, he said police and fire crews asked him to leave: "I just decided, no way I'm leaving. I'm going to stay. I decided to stay up here to protect the property."

He said he and his family evacuated their home in 2020 for the Cameron Peak fire and didn't know for two weeks if their home had burned. He said he wasn't willing to go through that uncertainty again.

"I have an exit plan. I grew up here. I know how to get away from this," he said.

His daughter, 24-year-old Mady Hitch, said Friday she was "insanely proud" of her father.

"I think it's really awesome what he's doing," she said. Hitch's daughter and wife evacuated earlier this week along with their dog, horses and cat. "We stayed until we saw flames coming down the hill at the end of the driveway," said Mady. She said it was "really hard not being able to be there to help him."

She said as of Friday, about 65% of the family property around their home had burned, although the house was still intact.

She said she talked to her father by phone Friday and "He's really tired. He saved like two more homes this morning," she said. "If there's anyone who can get off that mountain safely, it's him."