7 Grand County First Responders Lost Their Homes to East Troublesome Fire

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Hart Van Denburg/CPR News
With the East Troublesome fire blowing close to Granby, officials posted a pre-evacuation notice Thursday afternoon, Oct. 22, 2020. Motorists joined a long slow procession out of town on Hwy. 40 south.

The East Troublesome Fire near Granby and Estes Park has destroyed the homes of seven Grand County firefighters and dispatchers, according to Grand Fire Protection District No. 1 Fire Chief Brad White.

"It’s tough enough on our community with the lost homes, but, you know, every home has a name to it," White said. "It’s especially hard when it’s people who are supporting your community like this."

In total, the fire has destroyed around 100 homes, according to the Grand County Sheriff's Office. Damage assessment is still ongoing, so that number is likely to go up, officials said.

"We're finding more every direction that we turn around," said Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin. "We get down these roads and it looks like things are looking up and then we find a house that is an unfortunate mishap."

The snow on the ground from this weekend's storm is slowing the work of assessment crews, Schroetlin said. It is hampering access and obscuring views from aerial surveys.

The East Troublesome Fire has burned 192,560 acres and is 20 percent contained.