Second fire erupts in Colorado

BOULDER, Colo. – Hundreds of people evacuated during one of Colorado’s most destructive wildfires returned to their scorched homes Sunday, just as residents about 35 miles to the northeast fled houses threatened by another fast-moving blaze.

By sundown, the second fire had destroyed at least one Loveland-area home while threatening other structures. It burned about 600 acres, or just under a square mile, forcing authorities to pull some resources from the Boulder fire.

Meanwhile, firefighters in Boulder – surrounded by the dreary sight of burnt trees, burned-out vehicles and uneven patches of blackened ground – inched closer to fully containing the blaze that has burned 10 square miles. Authorities continued to investigate what sparked the fire.

A senior law enforcement official familiar with the investigation told the Denver Post that authorities are looking into whether a fire pit was the cause, which could mean criminal charges are possible. The newspaper did not name the official.

Authorities previously said the fire may have started after a vehicle crashed into a propane tank. The sheriff’s office is aware of the Post article but won’t comment on the cause or origin of the fire because it’s under investigation, said Sarah Huntley, a spokeswoman for the fire response.

Like other residents, Nancy and Jim Edwards picked up a permit Sunday morning to re-enter their neighborhood, but they found that the roads leading up to where they live is still closed. Jim Edwards said they might drive as far as they’re allowed.

“We might take a ride, but it is really heartbreaking to see the stuff,” he said.

Edwards said he spotted their house through a telescope from Flagstaff Mountain outside Boulder and saw that it was destroyed.

“It looked like a nuclear disaster,” Nancy Edwards said. She said they plan to rebuild.

Utility workers were restoring electricity to the homes where residents had returned, repairing and installing new poles and lines. Qwest Communications also was working to fix about 3,000 telephone and DSL lines.

Fire officials warned that much of the area is dangerous because of downed power lines and poles, damaged roads and exposed mine shafts.

Still, Boulder firefighting operations were being scaled back and some crews were being relieved six days after the wildfire erupted and quickly destroyed at least 166 homes. The blaze was 73 percent contained Sunday and officials said full containment was expected by this evening.

So far, the fire has cost more than $6.7 million to contain. Winds drove the fire out of control and strong gusts later in the week triggered fears that it might spread into the city of Boulder. Officials urged residents to prepare to evacuate, but fire lines held and no evacuations were needed in the city.

In Loveland, crews battled the second wildfire, which grew within hours Sunday from 35 acres to 600 acres. In addition to the home that was destroyed, the fire has claimed four outbuildings and an RV, but no injuries have been reported, said Merlin Green, the division chief for Loveland Fire and Rescue.

Eighty firefighters from six agencies battled the blaze, along with four helicopters and nine air tankers. Residents within a four-mile radius of the fire are under a mandatory evacuation order.