Local News

Pre-evacuations lifted for wildfire in Colorado's Park County

By Austen Erblat

Updated on: January 7, 2026 / 4:24 PM MST / CBS Colorado

Crews in Colorado foothills rush to get fire under control

A pre-evacuation has been lifted in Colorado's Park County after a wildfire broke out near Shawnee.

As of around 1 p.m., the 1-mile radius of that pre-evacuation included the area of Royal Ridge Road, County Road 43, and Camp Creek Road.

The fire was measured at around 3 to 5 acres, according to the Platte Canyon Fire Protection District.

Fire rescue vehicles are seen near the site of the Deer Creek Fire near Bailey, Colorado, on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. CBS

As of around 2:30 p.m., the fire was contained at around 4 acres, the department said.

The site of the fire is about 11 miles northwest of Bailey and 50 miles southwest of Denver. The fire is being called the Deer Creek Fire.

Austen Erblat

Austen Erblat is a digital producer and assignment editor at CBS News Colorado and is Covering Colorado First. Originally from South Florida, he's been working as a journalist in Denver since 2022.