The large elephant Butte Wildfire has prompted evacuations in the Evergreen area near Denver, Colorado.

Footage from July 13 shows the raging blaze on the hillside as a helicopter flies above.

A park ranger told Newsflare: "So far we have a fire of unknown origin approximately 50 acres in size.

"Although we had dry lightning in the area the past few days the cause has not been determined.

"Volunteer firefighters, incident management team, Jefferson County Sheriff's Department, Animal Control officers and Jefferson County Open Space Parks and Denver Mountain Parks park rangers all assisted in evacuating people and animals, horses house pets etc. from the nearby community of Evergreen, Colorado.

"Several of the evacuees had been in COVID quarantine since February, so quite a challenge to figure out the evacuation plan as a fire is bearing down on their neighbourhood. PPE and all of the other pandemic considerations that need to be done in a safe, timely manner."

So far we have a fire of unknown origin approximately 50 acres in size. Although we had dry lightning in the area the past few days the cause has not been determined. Volunteer firefighters, incident management team, Jefferson county sheriffs department, animal control officers and Jefferson County Open space Parks and Denver Mountain Parks park rangers all assisted in evacuating people and animals, horses house pets etc. from the nearby community of Evergreen Colorado. Interesting that several of the evacuees had been in covid quarantine since February, so quite a challenge to figure out the evacuation plan as a fire is bearing down on their neighborhood. PPE and all of the other pandemic considerations that need to be done in a safe, timely manner.