What Exactly Caused 2024’s Alexander Mountain Fire in Colorado?

With nearly 10,000 acres burned, 26 homes destroyed, and thousands of people evacuated for more than a week, the Alexander Mountain Fire, west of Loveland, Colorado, is one of the state's biggest wildfires of record this year.

While investigators dig into what the exact cause of the fire was, many locals and others across Colorado have had their theories. Everyone does have a right to their opinion; will one of the theories turn out to be correct?

Finding out what started the massive fire won't erase the damage that has been done, but it does help to bring closure and hopefully prevent more wildfires.

What Started the Alexander Mountain Fire in Colorado?

It will take many months, if not years, for things to get back to "normal" in the area of the Alexander Mountain Fire, which occurred in late July/early August in Larimer County, west of Loveland. Hopefully, investigators will have released information on its cause before that.

While fighting the fire, and assuring that the public is safe, is first and foremost, investigators are also working the scene to determine the fire's cause. They do have a website set up for people to submit evidence that they might have.

Get our free mobile app

Meanwhile, internet chatter does what it does, speculate. Here are some of the theories out there.

Did a Bird Start the Alexander Mountain Fire in Colorado?

There was talk that a bird that had flown into power lines had ignited the fire, like had happened with two other fires in Colorado. Many disregarded that theory, if only because there aren't any power lines in the area where the fire seems to have begun.

RELATED: 14 of the Largest Wildfire in Colorado Since 1980

Could Lasers Have Started the Alexander Mountain Fire?

One bold theory was that someone used a laser to ignite the fire in an effort to get people to move into the city and back "onto the grid." It's hard to say how a laser would actually be used to start a fire, but again, it's a theory.

Was the Alexander Mountain Fire Human-Caused?

There was much speculation that a person or persons had purposely started the fire. The motives for the arson again harkened to wanting to get people to move out of the Roosevelt National Forest or forested areas in general.