Pre-evacuation notice issued for area north of Hayden, Colorado due to wildfire

A pre-evacuation notice was issued Friday afternoon for some residents in northwest Colorado due to a wildfire.

The County Road 80 fire broke out approximately 2 miles north of U.S. Highway 80, north of the Town of Hayden, prompting officials to warn nearby residents to be ready to evacuate if needed. The notice applies to all residences in the area of County Road 80 and County Road 70.

In an update Friday night, the Bureau of Land Management said a multi-mission aircraft mapped the fire at approximately 50 acres. They said the U.S. Wildland Fire Service and U.S. Forest Service are assisting firefighters as they work to bring the wildfire under control, adding that aircraft were called in to drop retardant on the fire's northern and western edges and assist with bucket operations.

The wildfire began on private land around 2:53 p.m. The NIRC says they believe the fire is human-caused.