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Rest Of Beulah Fire Evacuees Being Allowed Home Friday

BEULAH, Colo. (AP) — The rest of the people evacuated by a wildfire that destroyed eight homes in southern Colorado are being allowed back home.

Because of progress made fighting the Beulah Hill Fire, the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office says that they can return starting at 1 p.m. Friday.

Authorities believe a Colorado Department of Transportation excavator doing routine maintenance somehow started the fire on Monday. It quickly spread in strong winds, leading to the evacuation of hundreds of people in the town of Beulah and the surrounding valley.

PHOTO GALLERY: Beulah Hill Fire

Pueblo County Sheriff Kirk Taylor says the operator was moving a stone when he noticed a fire had ignited.

Under an executive order from Gov. John Hickenlooper, people who lost their homes will get grants of up to $5,000 from the state's disaster emergency fund.

Wildfire Resources

- Visit CBSDenver.com's Living With Wildfire section.

Wildfire Photo Galleries

- See images from the most destructive wildfires (Black Forest, Waldo Canyon, High Park and Fourmile) and largest wildfire (Hayman) in Colorado history.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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