Coloradans displaced by wildfires across the Western Slope and southern Colorado began returning home Thursday as fire crews gained containment and county officials lifted evacuation orders.
The Bear fire, Willow fire and Spring Creek fire consumed nearly 200 acres this week in Garfield, Eagle and Las Animas counties, fueled by dry conditions and high winds.
Firefighters in Rifle gained full containment on the 10-acre Willow fire on Thursday afternoon, less than a day after the fire sparked in a backyard and raced along Government Creek to an apartment complex, where it destroyed an eight-unit building.
Two apartment buildings remained under mandatory evacuation overnight, but Garfield County officials said people were allowed to return home Thursday morning.
To the southeast, lifted all mandatory evacuation orders for the 150-acre Bear fire, which sparked Wednesday north of Trinidad near the Army’s Piñon Canyon Maneuver Site.
“We ask evacuees who return to their homes to please be vigilant and be prepared to re-evacuate if fire behavior changes,” fire officials said on Facebook.
To the north, almost 100 firefighters continued to fight the Spring Creek fire as it burned in the near the Eagle and Pitkin County lines.
The fire charred 20 acres northeast of Aspen with no containment since it first sparked on Tuesday, U.S. Forest Service officials said.
As of noon Thursday, crews were still constructing hand lines to contain the fire and dealing with critical fire weather, the forest service said.
Mandatory evacuations are still in place near the Ruedi Reservoir, including homes along Eagle-Thomasville Road, also known as Crooked Creek Pass; north of Brush Creek Road; and south of Crooked Creek.
The cause of all three fires is still under investigation.
