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Residents Criticize Fire Response, Say They Learned Of Blaze From Snapchat

ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - It took crews three hours to get a brush fire under control in Adams County east of Brighton on Sunday afternoon.

The fire started at 2 p.m. in a weedy area, but in high winds and dry conditions it quickly grew to more than 300 acres.

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Some residents who live near the burn area told CBS4 they were dismayed by what they feel was a slow response by fire crews.

Tracey Naszarenus said her family joined efforts with other neighbors to try to put the blaze out when they saw no emergency response.

"We moved all the animals and livestock and all this stuff from the house and a bunch of neighborhood tractors from that neighborhood came down here and all of these country folks put this fire out," Naszarenus said.

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Naszarenus and her neighbors also said emergency dispatchers weren't sure where to send the firefighting crews. Some residents said they learned about the fire from Snapchat and not from some sort of warning from officials.

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Adams County Sheriff's officials weren't able to comment on what might have caused the fire on Sunday night, but neighbors told CBS4 they heard it might have been caused by someone doing target practice with one of their firearms.

The fire still had some hotspots within the burn area that were being monitored late Sunday night.

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No one was injured in the fire.

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.

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