At 6:30 am Tuesday morning the home of Hinsdale County, CO Sheriff Justin Casey was hit by an avalanche. The Sheriff and his two children were home at the time. All three were injured by the avalanche, with one of the children suffering serious injuries. It took 15 first responders over an hour to reach the Sheriff and his children and to evacuate them to a local hospital.
Hinsdale County Search and Rescue rescued 11 people in three separate incidents across Lake City (the largest town in the county, and the county seat) today.
This evening Hinsdale County issued a mandatory evacuation order for the Monte Queen subdivision south of Lake City on the west side of Highway 149.
The Lake City Armory is open for local residents looking for safe shelter until the current storm and avalanche danger has passed.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center has placed northern San Juans under an avalanche watch.
If you live in Hinsdale County you can find more information and stay informed by visiting the county’s website, the county’s Facebook page, or the Hinsdale County Office of Emergency Management Facebook page.