BOULDER COUNTY — Firefighters knocked out more of the Lefthand Fire on Sunday, bringing it to 80 percent containment.
Lefthand Canyon Drive was reopened to traffic at 6 p.m.
After a small amount of rain overnight, the fire was 60 percent contained Sunday morning. About 150 firefighters spent the day battling the Boulder County wildfire, which is now estimated to be 622 acres in size, said Boulder County Sheriff’s Cmdr. Rick Brough.
He said crews would patrol the perimeter overnight, watching for hot spots, with freezing temperatures and 50 percent humidity expected to keep the fire under control.
“They’re hoping that overnight they’ll have a pretty good handle on it,” he said.
Maribeth Pecotte, spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service, said today’s weather — temperatures in the lower 60s and 12 to 20 mph winds — could reactivate the fire’s hot spots.
Four hand crews and seven engines, about 125 firefighters total, will continue on scene today in Lefthand Canyon, which is about 8 miles north-northwest of Boulder.
They will still have one helicopter at the disposal. A second helicopter and an air tanker were released from duty Sunday.
While the fire has not damaged any of the 12 homes that were threatened, crews have spent $500,00 battling the blaze.
The Lefthand Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation/Shooting Area, where the fire started, remains closed.
The cause is under investigation, but the U.S. Forest Service has deemed the fire to be human-caused based on the location where the fire started and the lack of lightning or power lines in the area.
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