Waterton Canyon was evacuated Tuesday due to a grass fire that broke out near Lockheed Martin.
The canyon, popular with hikers and other visitors, was evacuated as a safety precaution. The canyon, which opens 30 minutes before sunrise and closes 30 minutes after sunset daily, will be accessible on Wednesday, Denver Water announced just before 10 p.m. Tuesday.
Denver Water spokesperson Travis Thompson said the utility worked with fire officials to determine when the canyon would be safe to reopen.
We have crews on scene of a small grass fire near Lockheed Martin. Fire is about two football fields in size, no structures are threatened. Crews with are assisting.
— WestMetroFire (@WestMetroFire)
The fire was caused by lightning and grew to about 2.5 acres, according to West Metro Fire. Ronda Scholting, a West Metro Fire Rescue spokeswoman, said firefighters hand dug lines around the fire on Tuesday as part of a containment effort.
At about 8:25 p.m., West Metro Fire described the fire as being 50 percent contained.
Waterton Canyon is a recreation area along the South Platte River that is managed by Denver Water. A dam and reservoir upstream provide water for the city.