A wildfire burning on more than 100 acres of land in Douglas County north of Woodland Park, near Sedalia, was 45% contained Sunday, according to U.S. Forest Service officials.
The fire sparked at about 4:29 p.m. Saturday near the Turkey Track shooting range in the Pike-San Isabel National Forest, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Luke Roberts said in a Sunday morning briefing.
As of 6 p.m. Sunday, the fire had burned about 128 acres and was 45% contained, U.S. Forest Service officials said.
The fire was human-caused, but how it started remains under investigation, according to the Forest Service.
Sheriff’s deputies from Douglas and Teller counties, national forest service staff and multiple fire departments, including volunteers, were on scene at the fire just after 6 p.m. Saturday, officials said. The crews were joined by the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control on Sunday.
Hot, dry and windy conditions caused the fire to grow “very aggressively” Saturday evening, Roberts said.
Despite continued dryness and wind throughout the day Sunday, crews were able to keep the fire from spreading more. According to Forest Service officials, the flames didn’t reach a single new acre.
The biggest concern was making sure the fire didn’t cross Colorado 67, Roberts said.
The east side of the highway is home to multiple campgrounds and popular hiking areas, including Rainbow Falls. Preevacuation orders were issued for the area at about 6:25 p.m. Saturday.
“It seems like this fire season is just getting longer and longer,” Roberts said.
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