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Crews Continue To Battle Fire Near Ken Caryl Valley, Standby Evacuations Lifted

JEFFERSON COUNY, Colo. (CBS4) - Firefighters were called to battle a brush fire in unincorporated Jefferson County near Morrison Wednesday afternoon and thousands of residents were warned to be ready to evacuate. The standby evacuation orders have since been lifted.

The fire broke out near C-470 and Bowles Avenue just after 3 p.m. and spread from near C-470 up a hillside towards the North Ken Caryl Ranch area. Thousands of residents in the Ken Caryl Valley were told to be ready to evacuate. The Level 1 evacuation orders were lifted just after 7:30 p.m.

Grass Fire
(credit: CBS)

As of 6:30 p.m. the fire was estimated at 33 acres and was 10 percent contained. West Metro Fire said the fire was laying down.

Air support was dropping water on the fire until 6 p.m.

Travelers were experiencing major delays as C-470 was closed while crews worked to put the fire out. The highway has been reopened.

Brush fire c470 & bowles cdot2
(credit: CDOT)

West Metro Fire tweeted that the fire may have been started by a spark, possibly a cigarette from passing traffic.

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