Evacuations Lifted In Meyer Ranch Fire
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - Evacuations have been lifted in the Meyer Ranch Fire near Conifer and firefighters expect to have full containment sometime Friday night.
The fire started on Thursday afternoon and grew to 40 acres, forcing the evacuation of 30 homes. Those evacuations remained in effect until Friday afternoon, although residents were allowed back into their homes briefly in the morning with a deputy escort.
Crews responded quickly after the fire broke out north of Highway 285 and helicopters also helped douse the flames. At one point a plane made a slurry drop in an attempt to protect a home at the top of a hill near the fire.
About 60 firefighters made good progress on the blaze Friday morning and as of 3 p.m. the fire was 50 percent contained.
Authorities think the fire may have started between 2 and 4 p.m. in a blackened field near Highway 285 and said it may have been set by someone. Arson investigators with the Jefferson County Sheriff's office said several other fires have been started recently along the highway in the Meyer Ranch, Parmalee Gulch and Richmond Hill areas.
Anyone with information on who might have started the fire or vehicles in the area at the time the fires started is asked to call the Jefferson County Sheriff's office at (303) 271-5612.
"The area of concern is Highway 285 between Parmalee Gulch and Richmond Hill," Jefferson County Authorities wrote in a prepared statement. "Several fires of suspicious origin have been identified in the past month. If you see a new fire, be aware of suspicious people and vehicles in the area Citizens are urged to call 911 if they see suspicious activity."
