Portland’s Best Veggie and Vegan Burgers The Best New Restaurants and Food Carts in Portland, May 2025 The Best Chinese Food in Portland From drinking alongside the Portland Stag to dining right on the Columbia River here’s where to get a meal and a side of scenery Perched high in the West Hills along Terwilliger Boulevard Chart House has one of Portland’s best unobstructed views Its bank of east-facing windows encompasses the Willamette River the menu features refined seafood and steakhouse offerings A post shared by Robert Mash (@rmash65) The South Waterfront outpost of the Bellevue-based Chinese comfort food chain Dough Zone brings far more than its delicious xiao long bao to the area The light-filled dining room also boasts beautiful views of the Willamette River and the Marquam Bridge Tilikum Crossing can also be glimpsed in the background The dining room is fronted by a towering bank of crystal-clear windows looking out onto the river with the peaceful views complementing the menu of dumplings Chef Alexander Diestra — formerly of Peruvian stalwart Andina — now runs the kitchen at this riverside seafood spot serving Willamette views alongside seafood towers and clam spaghetti reserve a table outside on a sunny day; diners can catch a glimpse at the Hawthorne Bridge between the trees A stroll through the South Waterfront Park is a fine finish to a meal of oysters and risotto A Guide to Eating and Drinking Near Portland’s South Waterfront This rooftop bar and lounge at the Porter Portland Hotel makes for a great weekend night out or special get-together thanks to its club-like atmosphere (think colorful lights and thumping DJ sets) Glossy high-rises surround the firepit-warmed outdoor patio It’s Manhattan Season — Here’s Where to Order One in Portland This February Where to Book Beautiful Private Dining Rooms at Portland Restaurants Restaurants Where You Can Host Your Wedding in Portland Overlooking Pioneer Square from the top floor of the Nines hotel downtown orange-accented outdoor deck serves up sensational views alongside its pan-Asian fare From downtown and the West Hills to the Willamette River and East Portland’s wooded expanses a scenic backdrop is guaranteed regardless of the assigned table The skyline vantage point can also be enjoyed from the sleek starship-esque ultra-modern interior at select seats next to towering windows A post shared by Departure Portland (@departurepdx) Few things loom larger on the Portland skyline than Big Pink Located on the 30th of the building’s 42 floors Portland City Grill offers diners an unobstructed panoramic view of the city and surrounding landscape Diners soak up views — Mount Hood and the Cascades to the east and downtown and the West Hills to the west — while feasting on American steakhouse classics like ribeyes and jumbo lobster tails The beverage menu features cocktails as well as a comprehensive and high-end food and drink selections make this a great spot to bring out-of-town visitors or dates Where to Eat on Thanksgiving Day in Portland Where to Order Thanksgiving Dinner Takeout in Portland This Year From its privileged position on the rooftop of the Hoxton Hotel Tope’s view encompasses all the quintessential landmarks of the Portland skyline as a dreamy backdrop for quesabirria tacos and tequila and mezcal-centric cocktails the restaurant’s foreground is taken up by downtown’s historic buildings The outdoor patio is the best spot to appreciate the vista plant-filled indoor dining room is equally nice thanks to large window along gleaming white walls The Best Restaurants and Cafes in Portland’s Old Town-Chinatown Neighborhood A cinematic view of downtown Portland awaits from the top floor of this shipping container bar and venue space in the Central Southeast area Diners can take orders of fried chicken and waffles or Top Chef-featured Guyanese cuisine from the assorted food carts up to the shaded rooftop of the three-story bar to enjoy along with cocktails and beer from Portland and beyond Looking west toward the downtown core and landmarks like Big Pink it’s an especially good spot to watch the sunset or see the city lights at night which is to say the unbeatable panoramic city views from Roof Deck Open seasonally from April to October and weather permitting tasty food and drink options from Show Bar downstairs The scenic outlook is one of the best in the central Buckman neighborhood with a grand view of downtown and the hills to the west the striking profile of Mount Tabor to the east Despite being only four floors above the hustle and bustle of East Burnside Noble Rot’s classy dining room and cozy patio still feel like quiet Watching the sun sink behind the West Hills or listening to cars whizz by below visitors sip on pours from the restaurant’s wine program and enjoy seasonal dishes featuring fresh produce from the rooftop garden The best seat in the house is undoubtedly on the light-strung outdoor deck overlooking Burnside but those who prefer the indoors can snag a banquette seat or table right by the windows The rooftop dining area at this retro, midcentury-style hangout is one of the best spots to take in views and soak up the vibes of the artsy Alberta district diners can pair Radio Room’s picturesque panorama with challah French toast and mimosas in the morning or burgers with cathedral spires and neighboring houses poking through the foliage The Best Portland Restaurants and Bars for Happy Hour Facing Vancouver from its perch on the southern bank of the Columbia River in Northeast Portland the upscale Salty’s has the best riverfront vistas to pair with its seafood and steak menu the breezy outdoor dining patio overlooking the water is the place to be for oysters on the half-shell or extravagant seafood towers the view from the enclosed dining room is just as good for bird- and boat-watching when it’s chilly out The menu features seafood from near and far from sunny in the morning for brunch to watching the stars come out over the Columbia at night Open seasonally from approximately early May to the end of September this easygoing restaurant at McCuddy’s Marina in Northeast Portland floats right on the waters of the Columbia River The sunny outdoor patio is the best place to snack on seafood which comes with a grenadine-filled toy shark to submerge in blue curacao a la Jaws A post shared by The Deck (@thedeck.pdx) tropical island-themed floating restaurant is a great seasonal spot for a chill laidback lunch or dinner looking out over the water when the weather is warm Vancouverites and Portlanders meet in the middle for meals of crunchy halibut fish and chips and seared ahi tuna bowls accompanied by fruity cocktails like piña coladas It’s best to sit right by the water on the open-air wooden deck dining area While you won’t find views of a crystal-clear turquoise ocean the views of the mighty Columbia River are just as good Editor's note: This story is no longer being updated. The latest information about the Alexander Mountain Fire can be found here. Crews continued to fight the fast-growing Alexander Mountain Fire west of Loveland on Wednesday As of updated size totals posted Wednesday evening the fire has grown to more than 7,600 acres since it was first reported Monday But crews also gained the first reported containment: 1% We'll share Thursday updates in a new story The fire, which was first reported Monday, grew from 5,080 acres as of 7 p.m. Tuesday to an estimated 7,648 acres by 7 p.m But the Wednesday evening update from the U.S Forest Service included the first reported containment of the fire: 1% "Smoke in the area impacted visibility around the fire and there were times when aviation assets could not be utilized," the Forest Service said resources dropped water and fire retardant to help secure the fire perimeter and protect values at risk Firefighters successfully worked on securing the east perimeter near Sylvan Dale Ranch." and work to engage the fire will continue "where safe" Thursday morning Firefighting efforts will continue to include aircraft dry and windy" weather is expected in the fire area Thursday and Friday the Forest Service pointed to "a slight change of scattered rain" over the weekend Thursday will bring another change of command for the fire Southwest Area Incident Management Team 1 will take over will continue to be operated by Larimer County Sheriff's Office which will also continue to release information on evacuations and road closures The information center will reopen at 8 a.m and you can sign up for text notifications about the evacuations by texting "LCEVAC" to 888777 Evacuation information is also shared in a map at nocoalert.org The Alexander Mountain Fire is now 7,648 acres as of 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to updated U.S. Forest Service estimates shared by Larimer County Sheriff's Office "Further info about containment & ongoing firefighting efforts will be available later tonight," the sheriff's office said in a post on X The Alexander Mountain Fire had grown to more than 6,800 acres and was moving to the north and west Wednesday A multi-mission aircraft mapped the fire’s area at 6,840 acres as of 12:45 p.m. Larimer County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Kate Kimble said Forest Service incident command team reported The fire was first reported Monday morning in an area near Alexander Mountain just north of the mouth of Big Thompson Canyon Highway 34 through the canyon to the Dam Road in Estes Park remained closed The fire had not crossed to the south of Highway 34 burning vegetation ahead of the fire’s advance in an effort to protect structures at Sylvan Dale Ranch just east of the fire’s perimeter The ranch is serving as a staging area for fire officials and fire crews New evacuations were ordered to the north and west of the fire, and a map of evacuation zones on NOCOAlert.org included an expanded fire perimeter that extended into roads with residences along the western edge Sheriff John Feyen and Kimble said they could not confirm the location of the fire perimeter in that area A mandatory evacuation order was issued at 1:23 p.m including Streamside Drive and Dunraven Glade Road The evacuation area extended north past Miller Fork Road and Dunraven Trailhead That area had previously been under a voluntary evacuation order A new voluntary evacuation order was issued three hours later for the community of Glen Haven and areas west toward Dark Mountain Crews supporting the Alexander Mountain Fire focused on preventing the fire from spreading south and damaging structures while air resources were shared with other Front Range fires Wednesday The Alexander Mountain Fire and two others that recently ignited on the Front Range — the Stone Canyon Fire near Lyons and the Quarry Fire south of Denver — shared aircraft resources Wednesday which included two helicopters sent from Wyoming Jared Polis said during a Wednesday news conference at Loveland Fire Station 7 they move where they are needed most,” Polis said Other resources added to support the Alexander Mountain Fire on Wednesday included Polis’s activation of the Colorado National Guard to assist in the response It was also announced that FEMA funding will support 75% of the cost of the Alexander Mountain and Stone Canyon fires with the hope that federal funds will eventually fully cover those costs it’s going to be a journey,” Neguse said of fighting these wildfires We will follow the direction of law enforcement and our fire officials on that What I would simply say is that I have no doubt Coloradans will continue to step up and help their neighbors in need and the federal government will certainly do its part.” The Alexander Mountain Fire had grown to just under 7,000 acres and was 0% contained as of Wednesday afternoon About 4,000 people were under mandatory evacuation orders and another 800 were under voluntary evacuation orders midday Wednesday Winds were pushing the fire up towards Palisade Mountain in the afternoon and additional voluntary evacuations were ordered for the area north of Estes Park later in the day No structures had been lost as of Wednesday afternoon and no fatalities or injuries had been reported hot and windy conditions persisted Wednesday Incident Commander Mike Smith said their biggest concerns over the next few days include protecting the communities of Cedar Park and watching for the possibility of the fire jumping over U.S but we know that it’s going to be a tough couple of days for us,” Smith said 34 through binoculars and the use of aircrafts “to make sure that if we do have a fire that spots across the river that we’re ready to jump on that,” Smith said “The last thing we want this thing to do is jump across and start marching in that direction,” Smith said “We will continue to make all efforts to keep the fire footprint as small as we can but with the forecast we have we’ll focus on doing the best that we can.” the management of the Alexander Mountain Fire will be transferred to the National Complex Incident Management Team which will provide additional firefighting resources This team will also take over management of the Stone Canyon Fire State officials warned of a likely long fight against the Alexander Mountain Fire and other fires now burning along the Front Range during a news conference Wednesday “This is likely to be a several week event The state is now stretching its resources across several active fires from the Front Range to the Western Slope Colorado Public Safety Director Stan Hilkey said and he said fighting these fires “will go on for weeks It’s typical for Colorado fire departments to send firefighters to other states to assist in large-scale fires out of state and fire departments from other states do the same when Colorado needs support like in 2020 when the Colorado had three of the state’s five largest fires in history “and we couldn’t have gotten through 2020 without that kind of help,” Hilkey said Colorado fire departments have lent firefighters to other states But with the hot and dry weather ahead for the rest of the summer and understanding that crews will be battling these fires in Colorado for weeks he advised local departments bring any firefighters they’ve deployed elsewhere back to Colorado “I call upon the chiefs of fire departments in our state to think about bringing those assets back when it's most practical for them because the state of Colorado needs those resources as well and we want to make sure that we're able to deploy all those resources effectively and efficiently,” Hilkey said He said the state isn’t feeling significant impacts of this at the moment but “I do get a little bit worried about our long haul and our ability to staff these fires in a long-term way.”  “We support that noble mission of helping our partners because our partners help us when we need it,” Hilkey said “But I also think that as opportunity arises and with the weather patterns we’re going to have the rest of the summer I’d feel a lot more comfortable if we had some of those resources back in the states to help us in the long-term.” New fire restrictions for unincorporated areas of Larimer County were adopted and put in place immediately late Wednesday afternoon banning all open fires and smoking in the open outdoors approved by a 3-0 vote of the county commissioners including on trails and in parks and open spaces Fireworks and firework displays also are prohibited along with welding and all incendiary devices as are fireplaces and wood stoves located inside a residence A voluntary evacuation order for the Alexander Mountain Fire was issued about 4:25 p.m Wednesday for the community of Glen Haven west toward Dark Mountain The notice was shared by the Larimer Emergency Alert System Residents in Glen Haven and the surrounding area and areas west toward Drake Mountain should “gather essential items and prepare for evacuation,” the notice read mapped at about 6,800 acres Wednesday morning fire officials said at a morning news conference The nearest evacuation center for residents in that area who have been displaced by the fire is the Event Center in Estes Park Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association is de-energizing the power lines for Cedar Park and Glen Haven the power provider posted on X.com after 2:30 p.m and there's no estimated time for when power will be restored The Alexander Mountain Fire is now 6,781 acres according to incident commander Mike Smith An estimate from Inciweb records it at 6,840 acres Voluntary evacuations on the far northwest edge of the Alexander Mountain Fire evacuation areas have now become mandatory which includes Streamside Drive and Dunraven Glade Road It extends north past Miller Ford Road and Dunraven Trailhead according to Larimer Emergency Telephone Alert FEMA has authorized funding for the Alexander Mountain Fire in Larimer County and the Stone Canyon Fire in Boulder County determining that "the fires threatened such destruction that it would constitute a major disaster." The Fire Management Assistance Grant will cover up to 75% of of the state’s eligible firefighting costs These grants are not for individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage Part of the Roosevelt National Forest has been closed due to the Alexander Mountain Fire: starting at U.S A map is available here The following National Forest System roads are closed: 295.0 (Franz) Trails that are closed include the Round Mountain Trail (969) and Round Mountain Nature Trail (969.1) The Alexander Mountain Fire grew to the north incident commander Mike Smith said in a Wednesday morning Facebook update posted by the National Forest Service the Bobcat Ridge and Cameron Peak fire burn scars will help firefighting efforts Crews used tactical firefighting in front of Sylvan Dale Ranch starting fires on the ground in order to eliminate fuels Smith said to the west is a tough place to fight fire "It's one way in and one way out," Smith said Crews have been working on structure protection to give them the best chance possible to survive any fire The fire is also moving down Big Thompson canyon a shift in wind from the north on Tuesday means crews are keeping a close eye to see if any spot fires ignite on south side of U.S the team can begin using its aviation assets SummitStone Health Partners has evacuated its Longview Acute Care Facility on West Trilby Road "We believe this is in the best interest of our clients to continue their care," a Facebook post reads Temporary behavioral health acute care services are still available crisis beds and withdrawal management (detox) beds People can access behavioral health urgent care via: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has issued an air quality health advisory for Fort Collins Loveland and the surrounding areas as the Alexander Mountain wildfire continues to burn west of Loveland the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment recommends you avoid time outdoors and reduce physical activity The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment warns that ozone and fine particulate matter levels might reach unhealthy levels Wednesday You can find current conditions here Get tips for staying safe here No loss of structures has been reported from the Alexander Mountain Fire according to a morning update from the U.S firefighters will focus on protecting the communities of Cedar Cove The post reiterated that firefighters will act when it's safe to do so Crews are also working to keep the fire north of U.S but there has been no mapping since Tuesday evening Fire activity is expected to increase Wednesday as temperatures rise Winds are forecast to be out of the northeast Aircraft will again be used to fight the fire Wednesday Anyone with information about the cause and origin of the Alexander Mountain Fire can call the Forest Service Law Enforcement Tip Line at (303) 275-5266 Photographs and videos can be submitted via https://fs.us.evidence.com/.../commu.../public/amountainfire A third wildfire has broken out on the Front Range The Quarry Fire is burning in a populated and steep area in the southern part of the county The Stone Canyon Fire is still burning in Boulder County It was burning more than 1,300 acres as of Tuesday night Joe Neguse will meet with public safety leaders and frontline responders in Loveland on Wednesday to discuss state support and wildfire mitigation efforts according to a news release from the governor's office They'll travel to Loveland Fire Station 7 on Wednesday afternoon to meet with Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson and others a weak cold front is forecast for Wednesday morning the high temperature is forecast to be 92 degrees Winds are expected to be light over the fire the NWS said in a Wednesday morning post on X.com Firefighting efforts Wednesday will focus on the U.S Highway 34 corridor and the fire's northwest perimeter which was just east of Glen Haven as of Tuesday night Hotshot crews and multiple other resources will be arriving Wednesday to assist with firefighting operations A Complex Incident Management Team will assume control of the fire Thursday high temperatures and low humidity made firefighting difficult Tuesday and those conditions are expected to continue through the week with a slight chance of rain over the weekend The evacuation map on nocoalert.org will be updated as evacuation orders change Evacuation centers are also listed on the map The Alexander Mountain Fire grew from just under 1,000 acres to more than 5,000 acres Tuesday prompting authorities to order more mandatory evacuations Mandatory evacuations for this fire overlapped with another evacuation area for the Stone Canyon Fire which started Tuesday afternoon north of Lyons The Stone Canyon Fire measured 450 acres Tuesday night and forced evacuations north of Lyons and some within the town itself The Alexander Mountain Fire was “impinging” on residential structures Tuesday Sheriff John Feyen said in an afternoon news conference but it’s unknown whether those structures have actually caught on fire The fire saw growth in three directions Tuesday: west DENVER — The battle to contain wildfires that broke out last week on Colorado’s Front Range continues after significant progress gains in the past few days Officials announced Sunday that containment has increased in both the Alexander Mountain Fire in Larimer County and the Quarry Fire in Jefferson County And the Stone Canyon Fire near Lyons was fully contained It was also announced that most evacuation orders were cleared or downgraded in the Alexander Mountain Fire The following areas in the Alexander Fire burn area were given the "all clear" Sunday morning: East of County Road 27 from Hwy 34 to Masonville The following areas in the Alexander Fire burn area were downgraded to voluntary evacuation Sunday morning: County Rd 43 from the Retreat to Drake East from the Little Dam Store including Green Ridge Glade Reservoir On Sunday, the 9,668-acre Alexander Mountain Fire jumped from 32% to 54% containment The 472-acre Quarry Fire increased to 35% containment Sunday Two neighborhoods also had some Quarry Fire evacuation orders lifted Deer Creek Mesa and Kueshter residents returned to their homes at 5 p.m Saturday after the mandatory evacuation order was downgraded to a pre-evacuation notice those subdivisions account for a little more than 200 of the 575 homes that were initially evacuated due to the fire Residents from subdivisions still under evacuation orders need to obtain badges from Dakota Ridge High School between 10 a.m Sunday in order to be allowed back in once those orders are lifted the public affairs director for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office But Techmeyer cautioned those allowed back in to stay ready to get out again if the need arises We could have a weird weather event and changes We've instructed all of them to keep your go-bags packed be ready to go if you have to go again,” Techmeyer said during a Sunday morning press briefing Techmeyer said crews worked Saturday evening into early Sunday morning doing intentional burning and plan to continue you that throughout the day They'll also get help from helicopters and air drops The Alexander Mountain Fire has destroyed 25 homes and 20 outbuildings Rain began falling over the Quarry Fire area Sunday afternoon Although it had no effect the 472-acre blaze a spokesperson for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Investigators are using a dog specially trained to sniff out sources and causes of fires Tilley said just because they suspect the fire was human-caused doesn’t mean it was intentional The 1,553-acre Stone Canyon Fire is burning just west of Rabbit Mountain and northeast of Lyons With four major wildfires burning across the Front Range this week, it can be hard to know where to go or how to help, especially with reports of scams running rampant. Denver7 has compiled this list of verified sources where you can give Here's the latest on the wildfires burning in Colorado This information will be continuously updated: 🟥 Burning in Larimer County west of Loveland🟥 9,668 acres🟥 54% contained🟥 25 homes and 20 outbuildings destroyed 4 homes damaged🟥 5,200 people evacuated 🟥 No injuries reported🟥 Cause unknown The nearly 10,000-acre Alexander Mountain Fire the largest of the wildfires burning in the state It forced the evacuations of more than 5,000 people in the area and destroyed at least 25 homes it was announced that some evacuation orders were cleared and downgraded in the Alexander Mountain Fire The following areas were given the "all clear" Sunday morning: East of County Road 27 from Hwy 34 to Masonville The following areas were downgraded to voluntary evacuation Sunday morning: County Rd 43 from the Retreat to Drake officials said no additional structures were damaged by the fire overnight and the fire has still not crossed Highway 34 They warned that elevated fire behavior is expected again on Saturday with the dry condition of fuels The Larimer County Sheriff's Office said a team went into the impacted area Saturday and confirmed 45 structures — 25 homes and 20 outbuildings — were destroyed in the fire The sheriff's office is looking for property owners on the following roads: If you own property on any of these roads and have not already received a phone call from Sheriff Feyen please contact the Damage Assessment Center at (970) 980-2800 Meanwhile, many evacuees are still waiting to hear when they'll be able to return to their properties and check on them. Kelly Atkins, an evacuee, said he found out that his home is still standing but is still worried about other impacts "You want to just get back and find out what you've got," he said Around 70% of the fire spans across United States Forest Service land and the other 30% encompasses private lands FEMA has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Alexander Mountain Fire 🟥 WATCH: The latest on the Alexander Mountain Fire 🟥 Burning in Boulder County north of Lyons🟥 1,553 acres🟥 Fully contained🟥 All evacuation orders lifted🟥 5 structures destroyed🟥 1 person dead Human remains were found in one of the five homes Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson said during a press conference on Wednesday morning officials opened all of Stone Canyon Drive to residents and through traffic The Moss Rock area is still hot and will remain closed due to the unsafe conditions Authorities completed a damage assessment Friday and found no additional destroyed homes FEMA has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Stone Canyon Fire 🟥 WATCH: The latest on the Stone Canyon Fire 🟥 Burning in Jefferson County north of Lyons near Deer Creek Canyon🟥 472 acres🟥 35% contained🟥 575 homes evacuated across 5 subdivisions🟥 No structures reported destroyed🟥 5 firefighters hospitalized (4 for heat exhaustion The Quarry Fire is burning near Deer Creek Canyon and forced the evacuation of more than 500 homes evacuation orders for Deer Creek Mesa and Kueshter were lifted Saturday evening A Jefferson County deputy doing his regular patrol in the area Tuesday night spotted the fire He encountered a small 10x10 spot fire that grew to 100 acres within about three hours According to Mark Techmeyer with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office the fire was still 480 acres in size and 10% contained He expects containment to jump as firefighters make progress on the fire lines Techmeyer urged evacuees to head to Dakota Ridge High School this weekend between 10 a.m to register with the county and obtain badges that will be useful once the re-entry process starts for Deer Creek Mesa and Kueshter residents The Quarry Fire is suspected of being an arson after fire investigators found some “weird items” at what they confirmed to be the source of the fire near Deer Creek "above Grizzly in the switchback area." "I do have a to-go bag," said evacuee Tim Berg who is a resident at Ken-Caryl Ranch The Valley "My car's packed and I try to encourage everybody else to do that." His neighborhood hasn't been forced to evacuate but it's near the fire and isn't the first one that's sparked close to his home the one that this really relates to is the Oak Fire which was right over here on 470," Berg said and it really just created a lot of unrest." FEMA has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Quarry Fire 🟥 Burning in Boulder County near Gross Reservoir 🟥 7 acres🟥 Fire PIO says fire perimeter is secure🟥 All evacuation orders lifted 🟥 At least 2 structures destroyed🟥 No injuries reported🟥 Likely human-caused and accidental The fully contained Lake Shore Fire burning off Lake Shore Park Road near Gross Reservoir is seven acres and was first reported Wednesday All evacuation orders were lifted Thursday morning as firefighters made ground on the wildfire The Boulder Office of Disaster Management said all road closures have been lifted as well The Boulder County Sheriff's Office said it is in contact with two individuals regarding the start of the fire They don't believe it was intentionally set The 193-acre Currant Creek Fire is burning five miles northeast of Cedaredge in Delta County and is fully contained The 2,941-acre Bucktail Fire is burning 6.5 miles northeast of Nucla in Montrose County and is 5% contained The fire was first reported around 11:20 a.m Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right lending a helping hand and following through on promises Amaterra opened on Wednesday with a menu of Pacific seafood Amaterra — a winery, 12-acre vineyard, restaurant, and tasting room perched in the hills of West Haven-Sylvan — sits on the end of Swede Hill Drive, an area once populated by Scandinavian farmers and immigrants in the late 1800s one facet of the restaurant’s overarching ethos while the restaurant was under construction he and his 4-year-old son made meatballs in his home kitchen using an amalgamation of guidance from chefs and friends he’s worked with over the years immense headquarters are now open to the public Flatt makes his Swedish meatballs every night accompanied by white-wine-leek cream and red currant jam I want it to be a signature dish at Amaterra — you could always come to Amaterra and get the Swede Hill meatballs and they will reflect the season,” he says “To have a dish that was so good even before we had a kitchen that was open Amaterra’s physical space supports and provides the inspiration for every facet of the estate The grapes growing around the property become the wine served in the tasting room which the kitchen uses as a jumping-off point for the menu a garden among the vines will provide herbs and produce for the restaurant multi-story building is encircled by a patio and veranda where people can drink wine with views of the estate And its proximity to downtown — 10 to 15 minutes driving — make it unlike any other urban winery in the area “We’re trying to do something here that we haven’t seen done really anywhere,” says CEO Marcus Breuer “It’s accessible in a way that no other serious vineyard is but also we have access to awesome culinary talent.. You can come there and expect to see friends and people you know Amaterra encompasses a 45,000 square foot space with a gravity-flow winery producing about 10,000 cases each vintage It’s also one of the only private wineries in the area; that’s less of a country-club $25 fee made with your first dinner or tasting room reservation heads up the cocktail program with drinks like Hemingway daiquiris and Grey Goose martinis but Amaterra is a winery first — a message echoed in the kitchen “Our food needs to be an ally to the wine,” Flatt says the winery is home to two wine labels — Amaterra which uses estate and contracted grapes for its Northern Willamette Valley pinot noir and cold-weather chardonnay winemaker Matt Vuylsteke’s personal label featuring larger Italian and French varietals from Oregon and Washington vineyards Each dish on the menu is paired with a specific wine from the cellar; for example smoked pork osso bucco with crispy sweet potatoes should work well with Amaterra’s 2017 Swede Hill pinot noir while the New York steak frites in a green peppercorn-cognac cream sauce is well-suited to 51Weeks’ 2016 Super Cascadian a blend of Columbia Valley petit verdot and Willamette Valley pinot noir “He’s an amazing person and an amazing winemaker,” Flatt says of Vuylsteke “He makes you realize that wine tasting is very personal; when you talk about how a wine may or may not taste is a reflection of who you are in those experiences Flatt’s approach to the food is built on his past experiences as a chef from his teenage days working at an Iowa Pizza Hut to his tenure at Departure I feel like if you look at our food here at Amaterra it reflects that sense of elegance,” he says I owe a lot of that to Gregory Gourdet as a mentor.” Flatt also sought inspiration from trips to the farmers market especially when working with produce from Pablo Munoz Farms and Gathering Together Farm His emphasis on Pacific Northwestern culinary influence is evident: a roasted beet and citrus salad comes with a toasted hazelnut chermoula Pacific dover sole arrives with a crab-and-spinach gratin and sunchokes and — of course — there’s a cedar-roasted salmon on the menu served with creamy farro and blistered fennel “We really want to make great tasting food that really exemplifies the bounty we have in the Pacific Northwest,” he says Take a look inside the space and menu below. Amaterra is located at 8150 SW Swede Hill Drive; reservations are available via Tock Here’s what happened.ExpandMia Vecino By Mia VicinoAugust 07 2018 at 7:01 pm PDTI was never what you might call an "outdoor kid." I preferred playing GameCube to physical activity Although I've lived in Portland basically my entire life I didn't learn to ride a bike until I was 12 years old have fond memories of riding my Razor scooter around our cul-de-sac in West Haven-Sylvan While in college at the University of Oregon braving stares and laughter from passers-by I always secretly wished scooting was socially acceptable—maybe that could be my thing For cyclists already struggling to share the road with cars having to deal with a whole new vehicle in their lanes may be a hindrance But for those of us with zero leg strength and a desire for a quick and easy way to navigate the city these pedal-less contraptions may be precisely the eco-friendly mode of transportation we've been looking for So I decided to spend a week giving them a try find a pair of scooters right outside the restaurant there's a brake lever right there," my friend says I'm pleased to find the scooters are easy to ride once you get used to that initial kick the Limes are bigger and clunkier than the Birds which is great for uncoordinated novices like me Cruising up Northwest 23rd Avenue at about 10 mph—the scooters max out at around 15 or so—I think I'm doing a pretty good job until a passerby across the street decides to offer some unsolicited scootsplaining: "It's easier if you stand farther back!" Aside from a few incredulous stares our 1.7-mile ride goes smoothly and otherwise harassment-free Yesterday morning went well enough that my friend and I agree to meet at the waterfront for a relaxing sunset scoot I'm five minutes away from the destination when she texts me there are no scooters available over there pause the version of "Waterloo" from the Mamma Mia and scan the Bird and Lime apps for the closest scooters but it seems the majority of them have migrated across the bridges to the other side of the city It's difficult to find even one in Northwest The last pair of Limes in the area are at 23rd and Everett I am tempted to yell that I am a serious journalist and need to confiscate their scooters for important research I sprint Ethan Hunt-style to snatch a Bird lying a few blocks away "This scooter is offline due to low battery," it says The tenacity I previously bragged about has been depleted after an hour of this wild scoot chase We find a pair of fully charged Limes at 14th and Hoyt It seems much easier to find available scooters during the day than the evening due to higher demand at night and the fact that "juicers" take them off the streets overnight to charge We head to the fancy apartment blocks of the Pearl and scoot around Fields Neighborhood Park The brilliant idea to ride up a nearby ramp backfires when we see a sign prohibiting skateboarding in the area and assume that means scooters as well (The next day I find out scooters are not allowed in any Portland parks we spot the scooter's mortal enemy: stairs Getting these things down proves to be more difficult than we thought We make a big show of attempting to lift the roughly 30-pound scooters over and down the stairs A typical Pearl dweller in a fancy suit watches our sad struggle Thursday | Southwest King Avenue and Burnside Street The benefit of riding by yourself is that it's much easier to find a single scooter than a pair The drawback is that you feel wildly self-conscious—every odd stare I receive from pedestrians burns twice as fiercely Now that it's legal for cyclists and pedestrians to use drive-thrus in Portland would make an ideal mission for my first solo scoot and others in line ask me questions about the scooter I welcome the chance to prove to these strangers I am not a weirdo and I give them the whole spiel I've been workshopping on other strangers on the street the past few days the barista has absolutely no reaction to the fact that I'm on a scooter They serve me my small iced Americano with nothing more than the classic Dutch Bros I realize I do not have enough hands to scoot and hold a drink This feels like something of a design flaw but really it's my fault for not thinking this drive-thru thing through Saturday | Overpass at Southwest 12th Avenue and Montgomery Street Having more or less mastered the technique of light scooting I want to take things up a notch and answer the question on everyone's mind—can these things make it up hills I remember the steep overpass by a friend's apartment building and pick up a nearby Lime on the Portland State University campus I kick off and push the throttle all the way down But a moment later the front wheel starts wobbling too much for me to keep my balance I start farther back to gather more momentum My efforts buy me only a few more seconds before the wobbles begin again Maybe someone more athletic could manually scoot uphill but most of us would probably have to walk our scooters Forget what I said about stairs—hills are the scooter's true mortal enemy Despite their failure in the face of inclines the idea of e-scooters has really grown on me in the past week if Portlanders would stop gawking at riders and if I had the skill to survive in the bike lanes I'd absolutely use these things to get around Perhaps in the future I'll spot a Bird or a Lime propped on the pavement and reminisce about our turbulent Then I'll continue walking—because I'm holding an iced coffee and do not have enough hands Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today. Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today. Editor's note: This story is no longer being updated. For the latest, visit Monday's edition of live coverage, as well as Coloradoan.com for more After a day of significant progress on containment the fight against the Alexander Mountain Fire continued Sunday Sunday's updates from the Alexander Mountain Fire are below The most recent updates were added to the top of the below section Monday's updates will be shared in a new story at Coloradoan.com LOVELAND — At an afternoon media briefing Sunday Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen said the sheriff’s office and U.S Forest Service investigators were both at the fire's point of origin Saturday and Sunday but Feyen didn’t know what the results were yet but you also have five lightning strikes in the area around the same time," Feyen said rather than making the evidence fit our narrative." Sunday damage assessment adds 1 home, 1 outbuilding to list of lost structuresLOVELAND — Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen said damage assessment teams were able to do their surveys to account for additional structures that have been lost or damaged and all those property owners have been contacted Sunday's work brought structure damage to 26 homes destroyed (up one from previously reported numbers) 21 outbuildings had been destroyed (also up one) and four homes had been damaged (no change from what was prevoiusly reported) the sheriff's office confirmed Sunday evening That brings the total number of structures impacted to 51 we have had no loss of life and very insignificant injuries just like losing a loved one or losing a pet that our community members are going through,” Feyen said More evacuees expected to be allowed to return home Monday, some 'hard closures' to remainLOVELAND — Many evacuation orders were lifted and some were downgraded Sunday the sheriff said it leaves 1,101 contacts in the mandatory evacuation area and 336 contacts in the voluntary area they will allow residents who live in the lower part of the canyon to return electricity will have been restored at those homes in case they need to make a 911 call for an emergency "We plan on giving the residents in the lower part of the canyon The area has been under a mandatory evacuation order, according to a map available on nocoalert.org “We do have a couple of hard closures that will still exist that will be in place for a little while,” Feyen said That includes the Storm Mountain and Cedar Park area The sheriff's office announced Sunday that it would start the reentry credential process for residents in those areas Monday and Feyen said they plan to start allowing those with credentials to enter the area Wednesday morning "We'll probably give them through the rest of the week and into the first part of next week for just them again before we even begin to talk with them about opening it up to the public," Feyen said More information on the credentialing process can be found in an earlier update on this story, or on this post by the sheriff's office on the county's website The sheriff said the current estimate for fully reopening U.S Highway 34 to Estes Park is at least a week “That's because of the utility work that has to go in place there we know it impacts businesses and we're trying diligently to get you back into there so that we can reduce the economic loss and so that you can get back into your home,” Feyen said LOVELAND — Sunday’s media update at the Alexander Mountain Fire Base Camp in Loveland was marked by many successes: Unchanged acreage since Saturday no new structures damaged and no lives lost things are looking really good on the fire,” incident commander Carl Schwope said at a media briefing While there was not a single factor for the progress being done Southwest Incident Management Team Operations Section Chief Jayson Coil said there are many things that contributed Two is that by having the right trained people out there in the field and allowing them decision space to make the right call they can take advantage of small windows of opportunity And you stack up a bunch of those small windows of opportunity and you end up having large successes,” Coil said Coil said the whole eastern side of the fire is controlled “and then all the way along Highway 34 all the way to Midway but the fire's not going to move out of that area.” On the northern side along the burn scar from the Cameron Peak Fire the Alexander Mountain Fire didn’t advance either “The scar is too new and there's not enough vegetation there We do fly infrared flights every night to check the perimeter so we continue to validate that,” Coil said The Alexander Mountain Fire is now 54% contained, the incident command team announced on Facebook Sunday afternoon No additional growth was reported: The fire's reported size remained 9,668 acres More than 500 personnel were assigned to the fire Sunday Larimer County Natural Resources announced the reopening of multiple areas Sunday. Carter Lake, which had been closed to water recreation while it was being used for firefighting efforts, is now open for "all recreation use," the department said in a Facebook post Sunday Pinewood and Flatiron reservoirs also reopened to recreation Sunday On Saturday, Horsetooth Reservoir reopened to all recreation use Devil's Backbone and Blue Sky Trail were also open You can see status updates for parks and open spaces on COTREX and current evacuation orders for the Alexander Mountain Fire on nocoalert.org Wondering how stormy weather could impact firefighting efforts National Weather Service Incident Meteorologist Kari Fleegel gave a brief update in a video posted on the Alexander Mountain Fire Information YouTube channel: Fleegel said light rain there are showers and thunderstorms in some areas of the fire Sunday "mainly west of the fire around Storm Mountain," noting that the Cedar Park area has gotten some "very light precipitation." Fleegel said the chance of showers and thunderstorms will increase this week "especially as we move into Wednesday and Thursday." "It's very important that we watch the thunderstorms because winds from those storms could be very dangerous," Fleegel said Larimer County Sheriff's Office has released information about how residents living in the areas of Storm Mountain and Cedar Park will be able to get reentry credentials to enter areas impacted by the Alexander Mountain Fire The date residents will be able to use those credentials will be set once it's deemed safe enough for them to do so those residents will not be able to use reentry credentials to pass through roadblocks and go into evacuated areas Issuing credentials now will expedite the process once it's safe for people to visit the areas the sheriff's office said on an informational page about the credentialing process Credentials will only be available to residents and property owners from locations listed on the county's post about recredentialing which listed 47 different locations as of Sunday afternoon Each property can only receive one credential If you don't live in one of the areas specified on the recredentialing page that means the sheriff's office does "not anticipate the need at this time for re-entry credentialing when your evacuation is lifted," according to the page Property owners and residents of the identified areas can visit two locations from 8 a.m Estes ParkIf you're unable to get credentialed during those hours or have other questions The sheriff's office also listed three locations that would be available for credentialing during normal business hours starting Wednesday you'll need to bring one of the following documents: "If you do not have the above documentation, bring what you can to prove where you live," the information page says. "We will work with you to meet the requirements for credentials." The sheriff's office will announce the date and time reentry will be allowed and credentialed individuals will receive more information about that process via email It will not allow RVs or livestock to reenter the area at that time You can also text LCEVAC to 888777 to get text alerts regarding evacuations Larimer County Sheriff’s Office has given the all-clear to multiple areas previously under evacuation orders and changed some mandatory evacuation areas to voluntary The sheriff's office said the changes were effective as of 11 a.m These areas are now under voluntary evacuation:  These areas remain under mandatory evacuation, according to an evacuation map on nocoalert.org: You can see current voluntary and mandatory evacuation orders at nocoalert.org or text LCEVAC to 888777 to receive notifications In a follow-up message Larimer County Sheriff's Office said multiple dumpsters have been placed along U.S Highway 34 for residents to throw away food waste This includes a dumpster at the Drake turn-off The sheriff's office also shared where to find the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's recommendations for food safety after a loss of power. That information is available in both English and Spanish The Alexander Mountain Fire had "no western movement" overnight, according to a Sunday morning update from Southwest Area Incident Management Team 1 the fire's reported size remained 9,668 acres containment held at 32% and just over 500 personnel were assigned to it Here are other highlights from the incident command team's report: More: Watch the incident command team's operational update on YouTube Larimer County Sheriff's Office said it was "actively working to reduce our evacuation footprint" as well as credential residents of areas under evacuation orders to visit their properties Information about credentialing will be shared with residents in the Storm Mountain and Cedar Park areas "over the next few days." You can view current evacuation orders in a map on nocoalert.org or sign up for text notifications by texting LCEVAC to 888777 The sheriff's office also hoped to get damage assesment teams into areas damaged by the fire last week starting Sunday morning so those teams can start confirming additional structure damage Those teams have already confirmed that 25 homes and 20 outbuildings had been lost and four homes had been damaged by the fire though the sheriff's office was still working to get in contact with some property owners to notify them of the damage After days of reporting single-digit containment percentages crews fighting the Alexander Mountain Fire made significant progress on the blaze Saturday when they limited additional fire growth to just 138 acres and increased containment to 32% The fire grew rapidly over its first few days and measurable containment was elusive as crews focused their efforts on protecting people and structures Here's a look back at the fire's growth and containment over its first week: Highway 34 in the lower portion of Big Thompson Canyon and on the fire’s eastern edge stretching from Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch northward to a ridgeline just west of Masonville Smaller areas of containment were also established on the fire’s western edge Larimer County Sheriff's Office 'actively working' to shrink evacuation ordersAs crews gain more containment of the Alexander Mountain Fire Larimer County Sheriff's Office says it is "actively working to reduce our evacuation footprint" as well as credential residents of areas under evacuation orders to visit their properties "We want to get people home," Undersheriff Joe Shellhammer said in a news release Saturday night, adding that evacuees should "pay attention" to notifications sent out about changes. You can also view current evacuation orders in a map on nocoalert.org. Information about credentialing will be shared with residents in the Storm Mountain and Cedar Park areas "over the next few days," according to the release "Credentials are used to allow residents into fire-impacted areas while that area might still be under evacuation orders Larimer County is working to set up locations for residents to receive those credentials and we will share further information as soon as possible Dates and times for residents to go into the fire-impacted areas are still yet to be determined." Damage assessment teams plan to start confirming additional structure damage that happened earlier in the fire on Sunday Larimer County Sheriff's Office said in a Saturday night news release Those teams "have not been able to assess all of the damaged properties in fire-impacted areas," according to the release these teams will go in and finish their assessments as soon as it is safe to do so The plan is to start first thing tomorrow morning additional damage notifications may be made the sheriff's office said it was still asking property owners with property on Cedar Creek Road Snow Top Drive and Bobcat Drive to share their current contact information with the Damage Assessment Center (if they haven't already gotten a phone call about damage) You can call the center at 970-980-2800 from 8 a.m The sheriff's office clarified that not all properties on the listed roads were damaged Find the best restaurants to rent for parties This expansive West Haven-Sylvan winery and restaurant is home to multiple private dining spaces that offer both indoor and outdoor options. A 7,000-square-foot terrace and a stunning ballroom with views are available for larger events, while the more intimate Barrel Room or Gallery can accommodate smaller groups. Inquire about the private dining options on the winery’s website. A post shared by Amaterra Wines (@amaterrawines) The Best Restaurants With Views in Portland A post shared by RingSide Steakhouse (@ringsidesteakhouse) A post shared by West | Bar West (@westportland) Portland Restaurants and Food Cart Pods Great for Large Groups The experienced team at Serratto oversees multiple spaces capable of seating between 16 to 40 guests, with an adjacent mezzanine for cocktails and other standing events. The kitchen focuses on Mediterranean cooking, from French to Italian. Learn more about Serratto’s dining options here A post shared by Food 'n' Festivities. No BS. (@foodnfest) 18 Underrated Restaurants and Hidden Gems in Portland Where to Eat in Portland's Northwest District The Best Restaurants and Bars in Portland’s Pearl District For whiskey lovers, it’s hard to beat Multnomah Whiskey Library. The stunning bar has an immense bottle collection that is impressive to even the most seasoned whiskey fans. For something a little more intimate, the bar offers the choice of three private dining areas, the largest being able to accommodate up to 100 guests. Private dining is available to book through the bar’s website. The Best Mocktails and Spirit-Free Drinks in Portland This Indian American restaurant in Northeast Portland serves dishes like shakshuka made with a saag base and pakora waffles; its colorful party room is a strong choice for private brunches and lunches the space comes with a private server and unlimited chai and coffee A post shared by Masala Lab PDX (@masalalabpdx) Where to Find Dreamy Burrata Around Portland A post shared by Cafe Olli (@cafeolli) The 38 Best Restaurants and Food Carts in Portland Gregory Gourdet’s acclaimed Haitian restaurant offers a private dining room for groups of 12 to 36 guests that is available to book on Resy A 10-course family-style meal is available for private dining with the option to add on more dishes from the regular menu A post shared by Kann (@kannrestaurant) The Best Portland Celebration Restaurants for Any Type of Special Occasion From the same team behind the celebrated Korean restaurant Han Oak, Jeju specializes in set meals featuring banchan, ssam served with the option of beef or pork, and desserts like bingsu (Korean shaved ice). The private dining room, which is available by request only, offers two seatings a night, plus the option of end-of-evening karaoke. Private dining is available to book through Jeju’s website A post shared by Jeju Restaurant (@jeju.pdx) The exposed brick walls and hardwood floors of this Woodlawn restaurant’s private dining room make for a homey but still elegant setting, complementing dinners of pizza and fresh pasta. The room seats 40, with meals starting at $30 per person for a buffet-style event. Menu highlights include whole roasted trout with salsa verde, coal-roasted rib-eyes, and Bolognese. Learn more on the restaurant’s website A post shared by F I R E H O U S E (@firehousepdx) A post shared by Campana Restaurant (@campanapdx) The private dining room of this celebrated Slavic restaurant’s new Southeast Portland location is that perfect balance of kitschy and glamorous with plastic chandeliers and prints of great Russian classics Throw your own Russian banquet with family-style meals starting at $60 with the option to add the restaurant’s famous caviar service for an additional fee The dinner menu includes all of Kachka’s classics like the restaurant’s Herring Under a Fur Coat and its house-made Siberian pelmeni This Northeast Portland seafood restaurant, perched over the Columbia River, offers a variety of options when it comes to private dining: Visitors can rent out the North Shore View Room, which seats 150; for something a little more intimate, the wine room seats 30, as does the covered deck on nice days. Options range from brunches to full wedding receptions; those interested can check out the website A post shared by Salty’s on the Columbia (@saltysonthecolumbiapdx) The tiny private dining room at this buzzy Hollywood neighborhood restaurant seats up to 16 people, with pre-set menus starting at $85 per person with a $1,500 food and beverage minimum. Menus change frequently, but could involve everything from masa madeleines to fried chicken with Japanese potato salad; meals in the private dining room come with a private server. Learn more about rentals here A post shared by Jolyn Chen (@jolynchen) 16 Standout Spots in Portland’s Eclectic Hollywood District 2025 at 10:00 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Gary Gibson Jr.'s criminal history includes six felony convictions for weapon possession court records show.​ (Shutterstock)NEW HAVEN was sentenced this week to 10 years in prison for two armed robberies followed by four years of supervised release for a firearm offense stemming from the two convenience store robberies in May 2023 court documents and statements made in court robbed the Star Food & Convenience Store located at 193 Boston Post Road in West Haven Gibson took approximately $1,860 cash from the register and took cash and an iPhone from an employee of the store Gibson entered the 7th Haven Convenience Store on Sylvan Avenue in New Haven forced an employee to the floor at gunpoint fired a shot into the ceiling during a struggle with the employee arrested Gibson in Milford shortly after the New Haven robbery and seized from him the handgun used during the robberies The gun had an attached laser sight and a loaded 15-round magazine Gibson’s criminal history includes six felony convictions for weapon possession, robbery, and larceny offenses, court records show. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence A judge ordered him to pay $7,560 in restitution This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force the New Haven and West Haven police departments Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. The updates in this story are from Tuesday, July 30. Get updates from Wednesday, July 31 here The Alexander Mountain Fire burning west of Loveland grew to 5,080 acres as of 7 p.m according to mapping done by a multi-mission aircraft The most recent updates from Tuesday were added to the top of the below section Firefighters plan to focus efforts on the northwest perimeter and the U.S according to a news release from the National Forest Service As fire activity increased throughout the day Tuesday multiple air resources dropped water and fire retardant to help secure the fire's perimeter More than 270 firefighters were on the ground focusing on preserving critical infrastructure and private property The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Anyone with information about the cause or origin of the fire is asked to call the forest service law enforcement tip line at 303-275-5266. People can also submit photos and videos to on the forest service's website. The Alexander Mountain Fire has grown to 5,080 acres as of 7 p.m. making it five-times larger than it was Tuesday morning Incident commander for Alexander Mountain Fire: 'We're doing what we can when we can'The Alexander Mountain Fire is changing so rapidly that there wasn’t even a map at the Tuesday afternoon news conference at Sylvan Dale Ranch The fire that was 900 acres on Monday night is “Seeing that sort of fire growth overnight speaks to the dryness of the fuels and the dryness of the atmosphere Those things combined with wind really lead us to the situation that we see here,” Smith said The fire is “impinging” on residential structures “We just know that the fire has backed into those areas,” he said Fire activity is preventing crews from getting in to see what is going on at those structures but Feyen said they will soon as it’s safe to do so Smith said firefighter and public safety is the top priority “If we can’t get in and engage this fire safely and make sure our folks can get in and get out and do the job they need to we’re not going to commit those resources,” Smith said acting forest supervisor for the Arapahoe and Roosevelt National Forest said the cause of the fire is still under investigation Smith said crews are having success fighting it on the east side but they’ve also had a recent shift in the wind A complex incident command is taking over Wednesday and will have more resources than the Type 3 incident command Hotshot crews and Type 2 crews are headed to the fire The specialized teams can handle challenging terrain and technical assignments “They are in real short supply and the fact that we’ve got two coming is helpful the operation expects to receive what is known as a scooper a fixed-wing aircraft that skitters on the surface of nearby lakes or reservoirs to get water to drop on the fire Smith said there is a shortage of resources for fires nationally but this fire has been receiving good support due to the potential impacts that it poses to the community Mandatory evacuation notices have been sent to 3,245 devices and voluntary notices were sent to 824 devices He said the sheriff’s office has been inundated with people offering help he asked that people not drop off supplies saying the sheriff’s office is well resourced he asked people to reach out to the American Red Cross to see how they can help The fact that there have been no injuries to either firefighters or the public is a huge bright spot A red flag warning that includes the Alexander Mountain Fire area has been extended to midnight, the National Weather Service said in a post on X "Winds are expected to remain breezy this evening ahead of a cold front," the post reads the humidity recovery will be poor and critical fire weather conditions could continue well into the evening The Red Flag Warning was extended until midnight for the northern foothills." Alexander Mountain Fire more than triples in size TuesdayThe Alexander Mountain Fire has grown to more than 3,500 acres as of Tuesday afternoon more than tripling in size since Tuesday morning About 270 fire personnel are supporting firefighting efforts Loveland Police Department will be on accident alert status "until further notice," the department said in a post on X citing its "continued support to the on-going #alexandermountainfire." If you're involved in a minor crash that doesn't involve injury, impairment, a noninsured vehicle or vehicles that can't be moved, exchange information with the other driver(s) and file an online report on the DMV website. Voluntary evacuations are now mandatory north of Carter Lake to U.S according to a LETA alert sent about 4:10 p.m More mandatory evacuations have been ordered along Larimer County Road 43 from Drake to just west of Old Bridge Road Residents in that area should evacuate immediately Voluntary evacuations have also been ordered for residents north of Larimer County Road 43 including Dunraven Glade Road and Streamside Drive and the area north of Dunraven Trail — west of current evacuation zones and north of Glen Haven Residents in that area are advised to gather essentials and prepare to evacuate New mandatory evacuation area extends to area impacted by Lyons fireAdditional mandatory evacuations have been ordered for the Blue Mountain and Spring Valley area This extends evacuations south towards the area north of Lyons where another wildfire started earlier Tuesday afternoon Residents in this area are advised to evacuate immediately Part of this mandatory evacuation zone overlaps with the mandatory evacuation zone for the wildfire outside Lyons, which now stretches from Stone Canyon Drive east to Thunder Road, according to nocoalert.org As sheriff’s deputies were knocking on doors and driving down Larimer County Roads 27 and 29 and through neighborhoods between the two knocking on doors and broadcasting the mandatory evacuation order over loudspeakers mail and packages were being delivered to those same homes by the U.S Many residents were slowly packing important items into vehicles preparing to leave but there was not the sense of urgency one might expect Theresa Farrar said she and her husband and adult son had been packing up vehicles preparing for possible evacuation all morning They were still loading  items into a recreational vehicle including one towing a trailer with an ATV from their home just east of LCR 27 at 2:15 p.m. as a sheriff’s deputy was going door to door to make sure everyone knew they were in an evacuation zone “We’re ready to go now,” she told a Coloradoan reporter just before they pulled out of the driveway of the home they’ve lived in for the past 17 years Larimer County declares formal disaster emergencyLarimer County Board of Commissioners Chair John Kefalas declared a disaster emergency in order to access local state and federal resources for the Alexander Mountain Fire firefighting efforts Larimer County can activate our local Emergency Operations Plan to respond proactively to this ongoing event," Director of the Larimer County Office of Emergency Management Lori Hodges said in a news release "It also allows us to access local disaster policies as well as state and federal resources as needed during this event." Multiple statewide agencies are also supporting the response to the Alexander Mountain Fire by providing three air tankers communications support and assistance with road closures according to a news release from Governor Jared Polis's office The state division of fire protection and control department of homeland security and emergency management department of public health and environment and Colorado State University are coordinating to respond to the Alexander Mountain Fire The state is also coordinating resources to respond to two other fires: the Ed Joe Draw Fire in San Miguel County and the Currant Creek Fire in Delta County “The State is rapidly responding to fires across multiple counties with a coordinated multi-agency approach," Polis said in the news release "I thank all the brave first responders and local state and federal agencies who are currently working to protect Colorado communities and lands Fire safety is a state-wide effort and I encourage Coloradans to practice fire safety at all times We will continue working to help protect Coloradans Roy Logan was watering down the steel roof of his home at the intersection of Larimer County Road 27 and Arkins Drive to wet any dry leaves or grasses that might have collected in his rain gutters as sheriff’s deputies were going door to door to make sure residents knew they were in a mandatory evacuation area He wasn’t about to leave the home he’s lived in for more than 40 years “I didn’t leave for the Bobcat (Ridge Fire) and I’m not leaving now I’ve been here since 1983 and been through a couple of these Just doing some preventative work; that’s the key.” Here are the aircrafts supporting firefighting efforts in Loveland on Tuesday A wildfire in the Stone Canyon area near Lyons has prompted evacuations according to the Boulder County Sheriff's Office The mandatory evacuation area is directly north of Lyons and includes Eagle Ridge Road and Stone Canyon Drive The fire is estimated at about 30 acres just after 2 p.m. according to the Lyons Fire Protection District More: Lyons fire breaks out as crews continue to battle Alexander Mountain Fire The cause of the Alexander Mountain Fire is still under investigation Wildfire investigations can take months or even years — like the investigation into the cause of the East Troublesome Fire — before a cause is determined but all trails with access to Horsetooth Reservoir are closed The reservoir remains closed to all boating and water recreation to assist in the firefighting response Aerial photos of the Alexander Mountain Fire shared by the U.S Forest Service show large plumes of smoke coming off the mountains Robert Vincent and his family were packing up their vehicles and loading up horses chickens and cats while evacuating their home along Larimer County Road 27 between Masonville and U.S about an hour after receiving a mandatory evacuation notice They were packing items into the back of a Subaru station wagon an SUV and a pickup truck with a camper shell and preparing to get their animals loaded in crates and trailers “Wildfires are nothing to play with,” Vincent said “especially after seeing how much bigger this fire got overnight and in the last couple of hours.” Chad Kline and his wife were packing up some important items from their home They were out of town when they received notice that their home was now in a mandatory evacuation zone “We were up in the mountains for the weekend so we came down the canyon and are just trying to grab some of our belongings,” Kline said “I see how great the firefighters and first responders and the sheriff and police are doing so I’m just trying to get out of their way because I know they need County Road 27 to do their job and they did a great job with the Bobcat (Ridge Fire) I just want to get in and get out of their way.” Evacuees who brought their horses and other large animals to the animal evacuation site at The Ranch events complex in Loveland will have to relocate to Island Grove Event Center in Greeley One hundred animals have been brought to the northwest edge of the Larimer County Fairgrounds complex Bobby Moll with the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office said: 65 horses But the sheriff’s office was getting ready to move those animals to Greeley on Tuesday afternoon because the Larimer County Fair & Rodeo set to begin on Friday It’s unclear how long evacuations will be in place but he said if they last more than a few days Island Grove will be a quieter setting with fewer crowds and more room for the animals and their owners even though it has the disadvantage of being farther away less than a dozen evacuees were on site with their animals One evacuee expressed frustration about the move but said the first priority was getting their animals settled in their new location Moll thanked the sheriffs posse for their efforts to evacuate animals calling them “truly remarkable.” he thanked The Ranch staff members who set up the metal pens that were holding the animals under a hot all large animal evacuations will move from The Ranch Events Complex in Loveland to Greeley's Island Grove Regional Park the Larimer County Sheriff's Office announced on Facebook late Tuesday morning Evacuated animals smaller than a goat can still be taken to NOCO Humane chicken and one guinea pig — were being temporarily cared for as of 12:20 p.m. Voluntary evacuations have been ordered for Hidden Valley east of Devil's Backbone, including Ridge Parkway and Spring Glade Road to the north, according to a nocoalert.org update sent out at 12:14 p.m. Tuesday. Residents of the area are asked to gather essential items and prepare for evacuation Firefighting efforts continued to focus on protecting people and structures Tuesday Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen told reporters in a morning news briefing at Big Thompson Elementary School Highway 34 to westbound traffic has been established The Alexander Mountain Fire was at 1,820 acres based on the most-recent mapping available and had grown mostly to the north and northwest overnight That put the fire perimeter within about three-quarters of a mile of burn scars from both the Cameron Peak and Bobcat Ridge fires where officials hope the lack of fuel will stop the spread Feyen said during the briefing at 10:30 a.m The changeover in fire management kept the helicopters and airplanes that were working the fire Monday grounded for a few hours Tuesday morning until they could be re-authorized and re-assigned through the new command team A single-engine tanker began retardant while Feyen was speaking and a helicopter began dumping water on the fire’s eastern edge about 11 a.m Fire engines and crews from across the state were being dispersed to protect the nearest homes and other infrastructure in the area The closest homes to the fire are located more than a mile west of the fire’s eastern perimeter at Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch which is being used as a staging area for firefighters and other emergency responders Fire engines and crews from Arapahoe County and Brush were waiting in Masonville a little after 11 a.m Although fire management was turned over to a U.S Forest Service Incident Command team Tuesday morning the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office is still responsible for evacuations and emergency response Geographical “trigger points” established during the Cameron Peak Fire in 2020 will determine any additional evacuations with the biggest concern being homes along Larimer County roads 27 and 29 between Masonville and U.S Highway 34 and those south of Highway 34 if the fire were to cross the road The reason we did that is because is we want people to have plenty of time to get wedding albums all those kinds of things out of their homes that they want should the fire get bigger overnight and make a huge run towards homes that we’re not trying to go door to door because that’s one of our evacuation plans is we go door to door and make sure we make contact with everybody that’s in the home And we don’t want them to have to drive down maybe pulling a trailer full of horses or llamas or whatever in the middle of the night," Feyen said Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for the Masonville area and Glade Road from U.S. Highway 34 to Indian Creek, according to nocoalert.org. Residents must evacuate immediately combined with last year's near-record to record precipitation Bolinger on X pointed out last year’s abundant moisture promoted vegetation growth that has now dried and become kindling “This could exhibit extreme (fire) behavior and be very difficult to manage,’’ she wrote “Our saving grace is that we don’t have winds in the forecast But I don’t think this fire is going away soon.’’ Mapping of the fire and surrounding area show very dry conditions over the past 90 days and an extremely high burn index Challenges remain on the north and west sides of the Alexander Mountain Fire as crews work to control the blaze that started west of Loveland Monday morning which nearly doubled to an estimated 1,820 acres Tuesday morning with the help of hot and dry conditions is holding in the Cedar Creek area on its west side though it's not expected to hold much longer incident commander Mike Smith said during a briefing late Tuesday morning It has also worked its way down one-third of the Big Thompson canyon off of U.S though it is expected to run out of fuel there The fire remains about half a mile from Sylvan Dale Ranch and is slowly backing up and moving north where challenges remain for the crews working to attack the blaze Roughly 220 ground resources and additional aviation resources are currently part of the firefighting efforts The American Red Cross shelter at Foundations Church in Loveland has served around 60 evacuees since it opened at 5 p.m About 30 people stayed on cots overnight inside the church with 20 more parked in campers or trailers in the church parking lot a Red Cross volunteer serving as shelter supervisor on Tuesday morning An employee at an RV park in the Big Thompson Canyon who declined to identify herself to the Coloradoan said she got the news Monday that she wouldn’t be able to report to work due to the fire and evacuations She lives in Loveland but now she doesn’t know when she’ll be able to resume working And she’s worried for those who live in the RV park year-round whom she’s gotten to know in her three months working at the park She said there’s a lot of anxiety about not knowing how long the evacuation will last She said she is worried about the fire being at zero containment and not knowing where it’s headed next With the smell of smoke in the air and ash falling in the parking lot A snack station with coffee and water was set up in the lobby A sign in the lobby of the church directed people to a cat and dog shelter in the building but a church volunteer said they preferred people take their animals to NOCO Humane which had taken in 49 animals as of 10:30 a.m Some residents showed up simply to offer their help announcing that he had a water donation delivery a woman approached Red Cross volunteers to offer her help for anything they or the evacuees might need Foundations Church is a go-to location for the Red Cross when they need shelter space who was coordinating the effort with the Red Cross He said the church opens its doors to the Red Cross because it wants to be a place where people can find help to meet their needs and also hope Cirone said he and his wife lived along Pole Hill Road near Estes Park for years and they understand what it’s like to be evacuated He said the church has about 50 volunteers working and they have been told their church could be needed to shelter evacuees for up to a week The Alexander Mountain Fire has nearly doubled in size with multi-mission aircraft mapping the fire at 1,820 acres as of 10 a.m The fire area equates to roughly three square miles close to the surface size of Horsetooth Reservoir Due to the fire's proximity to critical infrastructure and communities it has been prioritized for additional state and local support and a complex incident management team will be arriving Wednesday night were on scene at the Alexander Mountain Fire as crews worked to secure the fire perimeter around 9 a.m High temperatures and low humidity are expected throughout Tuesday creating "near critical fire weather" over the fire area Horsetooth Reservoir remained closed to boating and all forms of water recreation to assist the firefighting response Tuesday Patrol boats were stationed at the entrance to the reservoir near Inlet Bay Marina to enforce this closure and an entrance gate remained closed on the South Bay boat ramp Tuesday morning Pinewood, Flatiron reservoirs and Carter Lake remain closed to recreation use due to being in or near the designated evacuation zones, according to the Larimer County Department of Natural Resources. Weather conditions in the Loveland area will remain hot and dry Tuesday with a high of 99 degrees and an estimated 8% humidity The area will also experience reduced visibility and poor air quality from the growing wildfire smoke Tuesday A "very weak" cold front is expected to move in late Tuesday making Wednesday a couple degrees cooler with a forecasted high of 96 degrees and light and variable winds less than 10 miles per hour The Alexander Mountain remains at 0% containment as of just after 8 a.m an incident command website that tracks wildfires across the nation The Larimer County Sheriff's Office continues to manage the Joint Information Center and release information about evacuation notices road closures and animal evacuation information Tuesday and can be reached at 970-980-2500 Several mandatory and voluntary evacuations remained in place as of Tuesday morning. For current evacuations and road closures, check out this updated fire map. The Alexander Mountain Fire officially reached 992 acres Monday night The fire slowly crept downhill overnight Monday and into Tuesday with no major runs More information will be shared after morning command staff briefings The Larimer County Sheriff's Office was focused on getting people out of the path of the Alexander Mountain Fire Monday afternoon Larimer County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services Coordinator Justin Whitesell said during a briefing More firefighting resources — including fire engines from across Colorado — were expected to join the Alexander Mountain Fire efforts in the next couple of days Firefighting resources were limited Monday owing to several other wildfires burning in California "We are doing the best we can with the resources we have," he said adding that fire engines in the area Monday were focused on evacuating people safely and protecting homes and structures The Alexander Mountain Fire had grown to an estimated 950 acres with no containment as of 7:45 p.m. Monday, July 29, Larimer County Sheriff's Office shared in a Monday evening press release The sheriff's office said air resources dropped water and fire retardant on the fire "continuously until about 8 p.m." Monday with additional ground resources expected to pick back up Tuesday The sheriff's office said it will transfer command of the fire to the U.S While the Forest Service will "be responsible for all public information moving forward," the sheriff's office will continue to manage the Joint Information Center and release information about evacuation notices Mandatory evacuations remained in place for County Road 18E from Pole Hill to Pinewood Reservoir and Drake to Dam Store along U.S. Highway 34, including Storm Mountain and Palisade Mountain, the sheriff's office said. For the latest evacuation information, check nocoalert.org or text "LCEVAC" to 888777 Evacuation sites are set up at Foundations Church in Loveland and Event Center in Estes Park contact NOCO Humane at 970-226-3647 (option 0) A heat advisory will remain in effect for Larimer County northwest Weld County and parts of Boulder and Jefferson Counties from 11 a.m Temperatures of 98 to 101 degrees are expected adding to the hot and dry conditions under which the Alexander Mountain Fire began Monday — "At least two dozen structures" have been damaged or destroyed in the Alexander Mountain Fire in Larimer County In a news release Thursday afternoon the sheriff's office said its crews were able to go into impacted neighborhoods that day they confirmed that at least two dozen structures in the immediate area of Palisade Mountain Drive and Snow Top Drive have been damaged or destroyed by the fire," the office said "The structures are believed to be a combination of homes and outbuildings." Damage assessment teams planned to look at those properties more thoroughly on Friday morning "Affected property owners will be notified by the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office once that process is complete," the sheriff's office said Anybody who believes their home was impacted by this fire can call Damage Assessment Center at 970-980-2800 “Getting the notification that your home or property has been damaged is never easy We will grieve alongside our neighbors through this difficult process and our team will be here for you in the difficult days and months ahead,” said Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen “The hundreds of people assigned to this fire will continue working around the clock to keep our community safe.” fire officials explained the current status of the fire The Southwest Area Incident Management Team 1 took command of the fire at 6 a.m Thursday — a transition that has gone smoothly operations section chief in charge of strategic operations for the incident management team explained that the strategy implemented Thursday is the same that the local team had used Wednesday "In close coordination with the Larimer County sheriff and a lot of the other cooperating agencies a significant amount of success — not complete success — today Most of the fire's growth Thursday happened in its northern section Crews were mostly focused Thursday on the Cedar Park area Fire activity picked up in the afternoon in a drainage that runs up toward Spruce Mountain "We anticipate that before the end of this operational period that that fire will hit the Cameron Peak Fire scar and we do not anticipate that fire to move very far at all into that Cameron Peak scar which will prevent it from threatening things that are on the opposite side of Cameron Peak," he said Should the fire move more than a mile beyond that point they will create a new plan with the sheriff's office the humidities were higher than they were yesterday morning which kept the fuels cooler," he continued Once the air cleared and the fire could breathe there was a lot of good work done in some of those critical areas to prevent the fire from continuing to move through there." Watch the full press conference from Thursday afternoon below between two and six aircraft have flown over the fire to attack it from the air crews will protect structures and establish and maintain patrols There is a small chance of showers over the fire on Friday He also provided some more details on the structures lost in the fire "We have had loss and structures lost in this fire up to this point Up in the area — and I want to be very specific — in the very immediate area of Palisade Mountain Drive and Snow Top Drive we have lost approximately two dozen structures," Keeton said "I want to emphasize this doesn't necessarily mean two dozen homes These structures are combinations of homes and outbuildings from the firefighters that have been in there No other specifics on those losses were available The below map details current mandatory and voluntary evacuations, as well as road closures. Click here for a larger version. For the latest on evacuation changes, text LCEVAC to 888777 or go to www.nocoalert.org. Mandatory evacuations are in place for the following areas: City of Loveland Acting City Manager Rod Wensing signed a Declaration of a Local Disaster Emergency on Thursday for this fire joining both Larimer County and the State of Colorado and federal resources for emergency response the city said.The Glen Haven Post Office has temporarily closed as many of its customers are under mandatory evacuations Those customers can pick up their mail at the Estes Park Post Office About 265 people are working to contain the blaze Persistent hot and dry weather is expected over the fire area Thursday The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Authorities are asking anybody with information about how it started to submit a tip to the U.S. Forest Service here Wildfires are now a year-round threat in Colorado Denver7 is committed to covering their impact and the people working to find solutions to the threat 2022 at 7:56 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}(Image via Colonial Funeral Home)NEW HAVEN CT - (From Colonial Funeral Home) Vincent Oliver Folet Jamaica WI to the late Mary Berlin and Sylvan Follett Vincent emigrated to the United States March,1979 he then attended culinary school excelling as a master chef Vincent worked as a head chef specializing in fine dining and supervised in several New Haven restaurants Vincent was an entrepreneur with a passion for selling goods and helping others Vincent was kind and dedicated father and grandfather He loved his family always making it his duty to reach out and stay connected his cherished son and daughter Vincent Cornelius (Rehema Cornelius) and Vintae’ Watts-Folet A celebration of Vincent’s life will be held on Friday Condolences may be expressed at Colonialfunerals.com 2017 at 10:00 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Branford Police Arrest Log: of Sylvan Avenue in New Haven is charged with disorderly conduct of Main Street is charged with disorderly conduct and third-degree assault of Kelseytown Road in Clinton is charged with illegally operating motor vehicle while under the influence of Dayton Hill Road in North Branford is charged with sixth-degree larceny use and possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance of Piscitello Drive is charged with second-degree failure to appear and evading responsibility of Kimberly Drive in Guilford is charged with third-degree criminal mischief and disorderly conduct of Angela Drive in East Haven is charged with fifth-degree larceny of Avalon Drive in Milford is charged with second-degree breach of peace of Baypath Way is charged with risk of injury to a child of Monticello Drive is charged with second-degree failure to appear Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. 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