Residents near Cameron Peak burn scar keep rolling with nature's punches

A day after flash flooding tore through parts of the Cameron Peak Fire Burn scar, homeowners and county officials got a firsthand look at the damage Saturday.  

Two people were killed, and a home was destroyed Friday night during the flash flooding in Buckhorn Canyon, northwest of Loveland. Officials report Larimer County Road 44H was also heavily damaged, as well as some culverts and private bridges.  

"These areas were part of that risk assessment, and they all were part of the high hazard risk areas," said Lori Hodges, Director of Emergency Management for Larimer County.  

Two years after evacuating the Cameron Peak Fire, Barb Blue remains in the path of a different force of nature these days, and Friday was the latest scare.  

"When we got here it was unbelievable," Blue said.  

As the rain came down, the nearby creek flooded again. A day later, silt is up to the front steps, her outdoor furniture is downstream, and the bridge on her property is broken beyond repair.  

"It made it through all six flash floods in 2021 and the 2013 flood," Blue said. "This was far worse than all of the flash floods in 2021."  

Around the county there was even more damage, as flood waters damaged culverts and tore apart County Road 44H. The sheriff's office said a mother and daughter were also killed. 

"Last night was definitely a demonstration of what can happen in a burn area and how fast flash flooding can occur," Hodges said in a press conference Saturday.  

Larimer County officials said Friday's heavy rain came in several parts of the burn scar where mitigation efforts like aerial mulching and seeding continue. The risk of events like this happening again will continue too.           

"We are going to see more flood events, even as we go forward and we do additional work," Hodges said.  

Work like installing flood barrier bags, which officials kept some homes dry. On Barb Blue's property, a new rock wall didn't hold up the same. 

While these added costs of living in a burn scar grow old, it's not enough to push her away. 

"It makes you sad every time, but I guess we expect it," she said. "We love living here and we'll continue to live here, and we'll make the best of it."  

While there is a significant amount of damage in several parts of the county, official said there is not enough to meet the threshold for a federal disaster declaration. At this point, they're still working to determine an estimate for the damage, as well as a timeline for repairs and clean up.