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Elbert County says 24 properties damaged after Elkhorn Ranch tornado; community assistance center set up
Summary
County emergency management reported an F2 tornado struck Elkhorn Ranch, damaging roughly two dozen properties; no human injuries were reported and a community Disaster Assistance Center will open Thursday.
Juliet Madsen, interim director of emergency management for Elbert County, told commissioners that an F2 tornado struck near Elkhorn Ranch on May 24, damaging about 24 properties and uprooting roughly 50 ponderosa pines.
Madsen said no people were injured. “Initially, we had several pets missing or pets that had injuries. All pets have been found, and those pets were taken to the veterinarian and are currently stable,” she said. County teams and local fire departments are continuing damage assessments and cleanup.
Why this matters: County staff described ongoing house-to-house damage assessments and coordinated support services, and they expect the recovery effort to continue for days to weeks. The county is organizing a one-stop assistance site so residents can access disaster relief and resource partners in person.
Elbert County emergency management reported that the Rattlesnake Fire Department, Elizabeth Fire Department, the Elbert County Sheriff’s Department and the Elbert County posse responded on scene. Volunteers and mutual-aid partners provided debris removal and other support, including the Colorado Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Team. The county has distributed roughly 450 meals and placed more than a dozen dumpsters in the neighborhood to assist cleanup, Madsen said.
Madsen said the county will open an Elkhorn Ranch Community Disaster Assistance Center from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Rattlesnake Fire Station 2, 46220 Coal Creek Drive in Parker. She listed agencies expected at the site, including the Red Cross, Colorado Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, the Colorado Labor Union, representatives from Elkhorn Ranch HOA, county offices (Clerk and Recorder, Assessor, Building Department, Health Department), the Debris Management Program, Core Electric, Centennial Mental Health, CSU Extension, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Colorado Division of Insurance, United Policyholders and United Way Mile High.
Commissioners and staff thanked firefighters, law enforcement, public works crews and volunteers for their response and for on-the-ground assistance with road repairs and street sweeping. County staff said they will continue damage assessments and coordinate recovery resources.
The county did not provide a schedule or estimate for completion of all cleanup or a dollar estimate of damages at the meeting.
