High Park Fire Officials Allow Hundreds To Return Home

LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - Many residents evacuated from the High Park Fire could be allowed to return home in the next 48 hours.

The High Park Fire was 75 percent contained at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. The fire did not grow on Wednesday, it remained at 87,284 acres.

Officials reopened Highway 14 from Hewlett Gulch Road to Mishiwaka and Stove Prairie Road from Springtown Gulch Road to Buckhorn Road. Only residents with identification will be allowed in the area.

Officials are also planning to allow residents of the Rist Canyon area to return on Thursday at 5 p.m. Several hundred residents will be allowed back to their homes in numerous neighborhoods.

Red Feather Lakes Road, CR 74E, was reopened at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

All of the Glacier View subdivisions except the 12th Filing will be reopened to residents. This includes North Rim Road/Kelly Flats and the Deer Meadow/Hewlett Gulch areas. Only the 12th Filing of Glacier View remains under evacuation.

No special passes are required, but residents should be ready to show identification containing their address at checkpoints and roadblocks.

Fire officials have also lifted the pre-evacuation status for the Bonner Peak subdivision, Bonner Springs Ranch, and the area bounded by CR74E, CR37, CR76H, and Hwy 287.

The fire has cost an estimated $33.5 million to fight so far.

On Wednesday 1,313 fire personnel were assigned to the firefighting effort.

The perimeter didn't grow on Tuesday. Wednesday's plan called for continued intensive mop-up of remaining smoke and heat.

"This is basically an area that is mop up mode," said Fire Information Officer Jake Brollier.

Inside the fire line there are many trees with the lower limbs cut off because it will help prevent hot spots that may flare up from igniting trees on fire.

"You never want to take any chances, it's not worth it," said Brollier.

The total of homes destroyed to date remains at 257.

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