Tyler Boy Scouts Evacuated from Colorado Camp due to Wildfires

TYLER — The Boy Scouts of America office in Tyler confirms a troop from Tyler has had to evacuate a camp in Colorado due to wildfires — and some of the troop’s property has likely gone up in flames. According to KETK, the BSA got a call around 9:15 a.m. Thursday, informing the main office there was a fire danger alert issued in the area where the Tyler troop was located. The campsite, called Spanish Peaks Ranch, is near Walsenburg, Colorado.

The troop of around 50 children was told they needed to go to an evacuation area and leave nearly all material possessions behind. The camp is going to be providing buses to bring the kids back to Tyler but they do not know exactly when. The campsite will be closed for at least a week, if not the whole summer. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The BSA says most kids who attended the camp are from Texas.

The East Texas Area Council released the following statement Thursday morning:

“Members of East Texas Area Council Boy Scout Troop 369, chartered to Pollard Memorial United Methodist Church in Tyler, were participating in summer camp programs this week at Spanish Peaks Scout Ranch near Walsenburg, Colorado. The wildfires in the area resulted in the troop being evacuated near midnight last night to a Red Cross Shelter at Walsenburg High School. The 41 scouts and 5 scout leaders were only allowed to carry day packs, a change of clothes, and water bottles during the evacuation. They were moved by truck to the shelter and all are safe at this time. Troop gear, a leader’s personal vehicle, and personal camping equipment were left behind and presumed lost in the fire.

“The area is closed until the fire danger has been eliminated. Chuck’s Travel of Tyler has dispatched buses and drivers who will arrive later this evening to transport the scouts and leaders back to Tyler. The entire East Texas Area Council Scouting family is glad that our scouts and leaders are safe and will be returning home later this week. Let me again stress that all scouts and leaders are safe, parents have been notified, and we are looking forward for their return to Tyler.”

We’ll update information as it becomes available.