A burn broke out at Chipeta Park in Nederland, Colorado in the early morning hours of April 8th, 2026, and investigators are now looking into whether it was intentionally set.
The Nederland Fire Protection District was dispatched at 2:28 a.m. along with the Sugarloaf Fire Protection District, Timberline Fire Protection District, and the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office Fire Duty Officer.
Crews arrived to find two porta-potties fully engulfed and a nearby tree actively burning. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and prevented it from spreading to surrounding fuels, allowing mutual aid units that were already en route to be turned back.
The NFPD, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, and the Colorado Department of Fire Prevention and Control are jointly investigating. Based on current findings, the burn is being treated as a possible act of arson.
The incident comes as fire conditions continue to deteriorate in and around Nederland. The NFPD is asking anyone with information about the events leading up to the burn to contact Fire Marshal Joslin at 303-258-9161 ext. 104 or at info@nederlandfire.org.
