The Meyer Ranch fire near Conifer was 20 percent contained Thursday night, but evacuations remained in place for about 80 homes because firefighters said the risk was still high because of winds.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office told 9News the fire was about 40 acres. Flames got within 50 yards of one house Thursday and close to a handful of others.
“No structures have been lost, and none are actively threatened at this time,” said Capt. Dan Hatlestad, a spokesman for the InterCanyon Fire Protection District.
A single-engine air tanker dropped a load of flame retardant around a home on a ridge over the fire, and two helicopters dropped buckets of water, he said at about 5:45 p.m.
The fire in the Meyer Ranch area was one of three that broke out Thursday afternoon along U.S. 285.
The first phone call from authorities urging residents to leave came at about 4:20 p.m.
An evacuation center was set up at Conifer High School, and a shelter for large animals was at Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Golden, said sheriff’s spokesman Mark Techmeyer.
