by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Air and ground crews worked to protect homes west of Loveland as evacuation orders were issued and later lifted Sunday evening
A wildfire west of Loveland, near Sedona Hills Drive, prompted mandatory evacuations Sunday afternoon as firefighters and aerial crews worked under difficult conditions to contain the blaze and protect nearby homes.
According to the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority, crews responded to the fire in the 2600 block of Sedona Hills Drive, northeast of Carter Lake, where dry conditions, terrain, and wind made firefighting challenging throughout the day. Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft conducted water and retardant drops over the fire area as ground crews worked to strengthen containment lines and defend structures.
Sedona Hills Fire (Photo courtesy Loveland Fire Rescue Authority) 
Sedona Hills Fire (Photo courtesy Loveland Fire Rescue Authority) 
Sedona Hills Fire (Photo courtesy Loveland Fire Rescue Authority) 
Sedona Hills Fire (Photo courtesy Loveland Fire Rescue Authority) 
Sedona Hills Fire (Photo courtesy Loveland Fire Rescue Authority) 
Sedona Hills Fire (Photo courtesy Loveland Fire Rescue Authority) 
Sedona Hills Fire (Photo courtesy Loveland Fire Rescue Authority) 
Sedona Hills Fire (Photo courtesy Loveland Fire Rescue Authority) 
Sedona Hills Fire (Photo courtesy Loveland Fire Rescue Authority) 
Sedona Hills Fire (Photo courtesy Loveland Fire Rescue Authority) 
Sedona Hills Fire (Photo courtesy Loveland Fire Rescue Authority) 
Sedona Hills Fire (Photo courtesy Loveland Fire Rescue Authority) 
Sedona Hills Fire (Photo courtesy Loveland Fire Rescue Authority) 
Sedona Hills Fire (Photo courtesy Loveland Fire Rescue Authority)
Emergency officials initially ordered mandatory evacuations for the Sedona Hills area shortly after 3 p.m., urging residents to leave immediately for safety. Evacuees were directed to JAX Outdoor Gear at Wilson Avenue and U.S. Highway 34 as crews battled the fire.
Throughout the evening, evacuation zones were gradually reduced as containment improved. By 6:56 p.m., mandatory evacuation orders had been lifted, though some residents along Sedona Hills Drive remained under voluntary evacuation status. At approximately 8:35 p.m., officials announced that all evacuation orders had been lifted, while warning that smoke would remain visible overnight as fire crews continued to monitor hotspots and strengthen containment lines.
Multiple Northern Colorado agencies assisted during the response, including the Berthoud Fire Protection District, Poudre Fire Authority, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control, and the United States Forest Service.
Residents were encouraged to continue monitoring updates on NoCoAlert.org and through local emergency notification systems, as crews remain in the area overnight.
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Attribution: Information provided by Loveland Fire Rescue Authority and Larimer Emergency Telephone Authority.