Firefighters battling the Beulah Hill fire say it’s still too early for some 1,950 evacuees in Beulah Valley to return to their homes on Wednesday, but weather forecasters say much lighter winds and cooler temperatures will improve firefighting conditions.
“Conditions will be favorable for getting an upper hand on the fire today,” said Steve Hodanish, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Boulder. “There’s no wind blowing, and that’s a good thing for fire suppression.”
Temperatures dropped below freezing in Pueblo overnight to about 31 degrees, Hodanish said. Humidity will also increase on Wednesday, and light rain could fall on the fire burn area Wednesday night.
Although winds are lighter, it’s still too dangerous for residents to move back into their homes in the sparsely populated community of mostly hilly grasslands and forest.
“No residents are allowed back at this time,” according to a 7:52 a.m. tweet from the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Department.
Evacuation orders for residents living in and near the town Beulah remain in effect today. No residents are allowed back in at this time
— PuebloCounty Sheriff (@PuebloCountySO)
The Beulah Hill Fire has scorched more than 5,000 acres, destroyed eight homes and six outbuildings, fire officials said Tuesday night.
Winds blowing away from Beulah helped the work of some 400 firefighters, said Paul Duarte, incident management commander for the Beulah Hill fire, about 25 miles southwest of Pueblo.
Ground crews and aircraft, including three air tankers and three helicopters, attacked the fire on Tuesday. Thirty fire engines are involved in the effort.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
A home was destroyed by the Beulah Hill wildfire near the town of Beulah, in Pueblo County on Oct. 4, 2016. About 1,950 residents were forced to evacuate.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
A view of structures destroyed by the Beulah Hill fire in Pueblo County near the town of Beulah on Oct. 4, 2016. About 1,950 residents were forced to evacuate.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
The Beulah Hill fire destroys structures near the town of Beulah on Oct. 4, 2016. About 1,950 residents were forced to evacuate.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
Cows stand in a field that was burned during the Beulah Hill fire in Pueblo County that has destroyed structures near the town of Beulah on Oct. 4, 2016. About 1,950 residents were forced to evacuate.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
The Beulah Hill fire destroys structures near the town of Beulah on Oct. 4, 2016. About 1,950 residents were forced to evacuate.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
A burned out tank sits after the Beulah Hill fire tore through this part of Pueblo County, destroying structures near the town of Beulah on Oct. 4, 2016. About 1,950 residents were forced to evacuate.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
A view of the Beulah Hill fire, which has destroyed structures near the town of Beulah in Pueblo County on Oct. 4, 2016.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
Horses stand in a field that did not burn in Pueblo County during the Beulah Hill fire, which has burned structures near the town of Beulah on Oct. 4, 2016.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
The Beulah Hill fire destroys structures near the town of Beulah on Oct. 4, 2016. About 1,950 residents were forced to evacuate.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
Bystanders are blocked from accessing a road shut down by the burning Beulah Hill fire, which has destroyed structures near the town of Beulah in Pueblo County on Oct. 4, 2016. About 1,950 residents were forced to evacuate.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
The Beulah Hill fire in Pueblo County destroys structures near the town of Beulah on Oct. 4, 2016. About 1,950 residents were forced to evacuate.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
Beulah Hill fire destroys structures near the town of Beulah on Oct. 4, 2016. About 1,950 residents were forced to evacuate.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
Joe McWilliams, center, a rancher, watches the fire grow after he and other neighbors used their tractors to dig fire lines as a wildfire in Pueblo County burns near the town of Beulah, on Oct. 3, 2016. Residents in the area were placed on pre-evacuation notice.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
The Beulah Hill fire in Pueblo County burns near the town of Beulah on Oct. 3, 2016. Residents in the area were placed on pre-evacuation notice.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
A firefighter works the fire line in Pueblo County during the Beulah Hill fire near the town of Beulah on Oct. 3, 2016. Residents in the area were placed on pre-evacuation status.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
Fire crews watch over a home in Pueblo County during the Buelah Hill fire on Oct. 3, 2016, near the town of Beulah. Residents in the area were placed on pre-evacuation notice.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
The Beulah Hill fire destroys structures near the town of Beulah on Oct. 3, 2016. Residents in the area were placed on pre-evacuation notice.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
The Beulah Hill fire destroys structures near the town of Beulah on Oct. 3, 2016. Residents in the area were placed on pre-evacuation notice.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
A firefighter works the fire line near the town of Beulah in Pueblo County during a wildfire on Oct. 3, 2016. Residents in the area were placed on pre-evacuation notice.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
The Beulah Hill fire in Pueblo County destroys structures near the town of Beulah on Oct. 3, 2016.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
The Beulah Hill fire in Pueblo County destroys structures near the town of Beulah on Oct. 3, 2016. Residents in the area were placed on pre-evacuation notice.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post
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A home was destroyed by the Beulah Hill wildfire near the town of Beulah, in Pueblo County on Oct. 4, 2016. About 1,950 residents were forced to evacuate.
The fire was at zero percent containment as recently as Tuesday night.
On Wednesday morning, a Type 2 incident management team will take over from the Type 3 team now working the blaze. The additional logistical support will bring another 75 people to help manage containment efforts.
The fire was first spotted east of Beulah near Colorado 78 around 12:30 p.m. Monday. Throughout Monday, winds drove the fire both north and south of the highway.
“We have no idea what sparked the fire. That remains under investigation,” Pueblo sheriff’s spokeswoman Gayle Perez has previously said.
