Fire destroys 1 home and forces the evacuation of 700 others in a Colorado subdivision
A human-caused fire has destroyed the house where it started, leading to the evacuation of about 700 other homes as flames burned in a wooded subdivision in the central Colorado mountains
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A human-caused fire destroyed the house where it began and continued to burn Tuesday, pushed by strong winds, in a wooded subdivision in the central Colorado mountains where some 700 nearby homes have been evacuated, authorities said.
Some rain fell early Tuesday, helping to dampen the flames somewhat, Sheriff Jason Marksell in Teller County said. The fire has burned 166 acres (67 hectares) since it started Monday afternoon. It was 15% contained early Tuesday afternoon, he said.
Ground crews were aggressively protecting homes, other crews were using equipment to build fire lines and two single-engine air tankers began dropping water on the fire Tuesday morning in the Highland Lakes Subdivision northwest of the town of Divide, northwest of Colorado Springs. The homes are built on 1.25-acre (.5 hectare) lots, according to the Highland Lakes Property Owners Association.
Air tankers and firefighting helicopters have also been called in, the sheriff said.
“We’re doing everything possible to get this fire knocked down quickly and under control,” Marksell said, “because we are worried about the turn in the weather.”
It's unclear when residents will be allowed back into their homes because of the danger of the fire shifting directions with the winds, Marksell said. Residents were being escorted into the neighborhood on Tuesday if they needed to retrieve life-saving medications or medical devices.
Snow is forecast in the area overnight and into Wednesday, but Marksell cautioned that it may not be enough to snuff out the fire.
If residents can't return home by Wednesday, Marksell, said they would consider escorting people in to pick up ballots that had been mailed to them.
Meanwhile, law enforcement officers were investigating the cause of the fire.
“We are treating this as a criminal act,” Marksell said. He declined to release any further information about whether they believe the fire was accidental or intentional.
The total value of the evacuated homes is about $300 million, Marksell said.