Boulder evacuees return as firefighters forge on
BOULDER — The residents of the 28 homes evacuated west of Boulder due to the Flagstaff fire were allowed to return to their homes Thursday as crews continued to fight the blaze.
Flagstaff Road remained closed to nonresidents. Fire officials said they hope to achieve containment Saturday of the lighting-sparked blaze that has burned about 300 acres.
Western blaze closes I-70
GRAND JUNCTION — The lightning-sparked Pine Ridge fire burning 10 miles northeast of the city grew to more than 2,000 acres in “extreme” conditions. About 6 p.m., evacuations were ordered for the first time and an evacuation center was set up at Palisade High School. Interstate 70 was closed in both directions between Palisade and Mesa.
High Park containment goes up
FORT COLLINS — Firefighters on Thursday achieved 85 percent containment of the second-largest wildfire in Colorado history and expected full containment Sunday.
The cost of fighting the High Park fire, which has destroyed an estimated 257 homes and has left one person dead, rose to $36.4 million.
New fire springs up
EAGLE — The Eagle County Sheriff’s Office sent out 75 pre-evacuation notices for the wildfire that sparked near Eagle on Thursday.
The Eby Creek fire is burning about two miles northeast of the I70 Eagle Interchange.
Denver Post staff and wire reports
