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Breaking: CSU campus closed March 13 to assess wind damage, caution advised

Laila Shekarchian and Chloe Waskey

March 12, 2026

Collegian | Alli Adams

Editor’s Note: This is an ongoing breaking news story. Updates will be provided as they become available.

Colorado State University’s Larimer County campus closed at 3:30 p.m. March 12 due to high winds and will remain closed through Friday, March 13 as crews assess damage. Students and staff have been instructed not to come to campus. All individuals on campus are advised to leave when possible, and all classes and activities will be canceled for the remainder of the day.

Campus dining centers, residence halls and transit centers will remain operational, and the high school state basketball championship held in the Moby Arena will continue as scheduled. An alert issued by the CSU Safety System Thursday at 6:22 p.m. advised anyone that must be on campus to take extreme caution and avoid heavily treed areas.

“Most wind damage has been concentrated on the east side of the main campus near academic and administrative buildings, and several pedestrian pathways are affected,” the alert reads.

According to a 3:15 p.m. update from NOCO Alert, A Red Flag Warning is in effect in Fort Collins until 9 p.m. due to increased fire risk and will remain in effect through Friday for any areas in Larimer County below 6,000 feet.

Earlier on March 12, CSU issued alerts that The Oval and Oval Drive are closed due to high winds and potential tree damage.

CSU police have also responded to a report that Libbie Coy Way is closed from University Avenue to Pitkin Street, alerting people to avoid the area.

At 11:55 a.m., the Larimer County Sheriff issued mandatory evacuation orders for Terry Lake Road south to Vine Drive and Highway 287 west to North Overland Trail due to a wildfire.

As of 12:50 p.m., evacuation orders have been lifted. Residents may return to the area and resume normal activity.

Reach Laila Shekarchian and Chloe Waskey at news@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.

About the Contributors

Laila Shekarchian, News Editor

Laila Shekarchian is thrilled to step into the role of news editor at The Collegian for her final semester at CSU. Shekarchian first joined The Collegian as a staff reporter on the news, life & culture and arts & entertainment desks during her freshman year before serving as the ASCSU beat reporter throughout her sophomore year and first semester of her junior year. In her time covering student government, Shekarchian developed a strong interest in campus policy and student advocacy, and she looks forward to passing on the ASCSU beat and improving its coverage through her role as news editor. Shekarchian will graduate this spring with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism and media communication with a minor in political science. Following her time at CSU, she plans to attend law school and pursue international law to continue her advocacy for immigrant and global communities. As an Iranian-American, Shekarchian has long been interested in international media and politics and enjoys spending time abroad exploring new places and cultures. Her background has shaped both her academic interests and her journalistic approach, emphasizing representation and cultural understanding. When she is not in the ASCSU Senate Chambers or chasing a story on campus, she enjoys traveling, cooking, hiking and spending time with her friends, dog and cat. Shekarchian is excited to take on this new role and looks forward to another wonderful semester with The Collegian.

Chloe Waskey, News Editor

Chloe Waskey worked as a reporter throughout her second year of college and now serves as a news editor for The Collegian. Waskey will graduate alongside the senior class in spring 2026 with a degree in journalism and media communication and a minor in political science. As a reporter, she primarily covered the news desk, focusing on localized political analysis of relevant issues. Her work has been published in The Denver Post, and she has received scholarships from the Society of Professional Journalists. After graduation, she plans to expand her horizons internationally to pursue a career as a war correspondent. As an aspiring political reporter, Waskey is committed to producing ethical, truthful and informative coverage. Journalism has been her dream career since she first learned to read, and she believes it is her duty as a reporter to uphold democratic freedom by providing fair and accurate news. Few things matter more to her than the art of politics and the craft of journalism. Outside of the newsroom, Waskey enjoys collecting trinkets from antique stores, taking spontaneous road trips, foraging for animal bones and studying astrology. She also reads tarot professionally and writes the weekly horoscope for The Collegian. Waskey regards The Collegian as an essential step in her journey toward success, and she hopes the skills she has gained at Colorado State University will help her stand up for justice and make an equitable difference within her community.

Alli Adams, Illustration Director

Alli Adams is the new illustration editor here at The Collegian and is incredibly grateful and inspired by her peers and team of artists. Entering her second year at The Collegian and first year in this role, she’s determined to carry on the legacy of creating fun doodles, sharing little campus jokes and inspiring more colorful articles. As the editor, Alli oversees graphic and illustration design, exchanging new ideas with her fellow editors and collaborating with a team of extremely talented artists. In charge of the weekly comics and some illustrations herself, she is always hunched over with a pen in her hand and couldn’t be happier. She hopes to find herself in the realm of concept art, specifically for video games, within the next five years. But as of now, she can be found planning the next comic, playing her favorite games or practicing her skills in Blender and Java. As an electronic arts major, she truly found herself right at home in her position and plans to create many more silly designs that she hopes will brighten people’s days — at least a little. Nothing makes her smile more than people getting as much of a laugh out of her illustrations as she did, and she continues to pursue that until her hands give out.

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Breaking: CSU campus closed March 13 to assess wind damage, caution advised

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