PAGOSA SPRINGS, Colo. — Gov. Jared Polis has verbally declared a disaster emergency and authorized the Colorado National Guard to help fight the Oak Fire burning west of Pagosa Springs.

The Oak Fire, which apparently began as a structure fire on Oak Drive north of Highway 160, had burned approximately 75 acres as of late Sunday night.

The blaze prompted mandatory evacuations in the Elk Park subdivision and put a wide swatch of the surrounding area under pre-evacuation notice Sunday afternoon.

The areas that were under mandatory evacuation orders were not accessible late Sunday, according to the Archuleta County Sheriff's Office.

"The incident escalated rapidly, exceeding local Fire Department and County capacity, and the Sheriff requested that the Division of Fire Prevention and Contro

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