Debbie Paris and her husband on Tuesday showed up at a center in Loveland where residents affected by the Alexander Fire can get clearance to return to their homes.   

The couple owns a cabin up in Storm Mountain, and they did not know whether it burned down in the wildfire.

Authorities have told residents earlier forced to evacuate that, if they didn’t receive a call from officials, then their property is safe.    

Paris and her husband did not get a call, but they did not want to take any chances, either. 

The couple received their credential from the Larimer County Loveland Campus to check their cabin.

“I won’t be happy until I go up there myself,” Paris said, adding she heard that multiple homes near her property burnt down.

“It’s a massive tree area,” Paris said of the area surrounding her cabin. “If there was something big enough to damage the house next door, down to the foundation, and with a lot of trees there, it might not be there anymore.”

The anxiety was palpable from the couple, particularly after the news they’ve heard.    

Paris said her neighbors last Monday had evacuated to Estes Park and was originally told no structures were damaged. Then, on Wednesday, her neighbor was informed their house burned down.

“And we’re pretty much the neighbors,” Paris said, expressing worry about when they would be allowed to check on the cabin.

Larimer County Sheriff’s officials said several evacuation orders were lifted on Tuesday, and that a roadblock near the famous Dam Store had been removed.

The 9,668-acre Alexander Mountain Fire, now 74% contained, has burned dozens of homes on Storm Mountain and the surrounding areas in Larimer County.

The havoc from the fire could be glimpsed along Highway 34 from Loveland towards Estes Park.

On Tuesday morning, Scott Kukral saw charred mountainsides of what used to be a green area.

“It’s a shame,” he said. “It’s all torn up.”

Tuesday was the first time Kukral biked his favorite route since before the Alexander Mountain Fire began on July 29.

Some nearby roads into the mountains has since been opened, revealing the aftermath of what unfolded the previous eight days. Notably, authorities opened up a five mile segment along Highway 34 next from the famous Dam Store to Idlewild Lane.

Passed the Dam Store and into the mountains, the charred remains of trees, bushes and shrubs are visible, their burnt scent lingering in the air.

Some homes along Highway 34 were spared from the flames — it looked like the fire had carved a path around them.

In its path, the wildfire burned down 26 homes, damaged four structures, and destroyed 20 outbuildings. Only minor injuries have been reported. Since the fire began, roughly 2,600 people have evacuated the area, according to the Larimer County Sheriff’s office.

The Dam Store, Loveland’s historic 1969-built gift shop famous for its jerky and other items along Highway 34, needed to close for a week.

The store reopened Monday, employees said. 

Julie Gross, a seven-year employee at the Dam Store, said she feared for her job.

“People were still shopping around here, and there’s this fire going on, and we are sitting here thinking we might not have a job next week,” she said. 

“It was scary and really weird,” Gross added. “We could see the flames coming down the mountain towards the store. It was awful.”

Upon reaching the Idlewild Lane roadblock on Tuesday, Kukral got off his bike and pondered over the future. 

Each time he bikes between Loveland and Estes Park, Kukral said in one out of five times, he gets to see bighorn sheep.

“They’re not going to be there anymore,” the avid road biker said, while inspecting the blackened mountainsides. “And that’s a big loss.”

As hundreds of firefighters battled to contain the Alexander Mountain fire, officials have been working behind the scenes to return thousands of residents.

“We are profoundly sorry for the loss and heartache experienced by those who have lost their homes in this wildfire,” Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen earlier said. “Our hearts go out to every individual and family affected by this tragedy.”

In addition to the Larimer County Loveland Campus at 200 Peridot Avenue, authorities also opened a credentialing center at the Estes Park Event Center at 1125 Rooftop Way in Estes Park.

Meanwhile, many have begun to set up fundraisers for the people affected by the Alexander Mountain Fire.

A GoFundMe page said a family of three lost everything in their home.

The online fundraiser said Jon Shepard, his partner Haley, their 3-year-old child Wade, and their 10-year-old dog Red found out on July 31 that their house on Palisade Mountain in Drake burned down.

Lisa McNellis, who started a fundraiser for her uncle, Rick Wood, described his house burning down as “a massive blow to my uncle’s life.”

Another GoFundMe page, set up by friends of a Storm Mountain family, said a man, his wife and their four dogs evacuated, and that “they have never been through something like this and every little bit will help.”

Larimer County Commissioner John Kefalas had said one focus is to assist the residents most affected by the fire.

“We remain focused on helping and supporting the folks who have been directly impacted by the fire — having their homes and properties destroyed or damaged, and those community members who have been evacuated,” he said.

The county commissioner added: “As evacuation orders are lifted, we are helping folks return to their homes and working closely to assess damage and destruction and provide information and resources to help with rebuilding their lives and livelihoods.”