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Evacuations Lifted For Entire Town, Crews Get Upper Hand On Wildfire

BOONE, Colo. (CBS4)- Crews are getting the upper hand on the Double Fork Fire which at one point Thursday forced an entire town to evacuate.

The fire, estimated at 450 acres near the town of Boone, located about 23 miles east of Pueblo, was 70 percent contained on Thursday night.

Strong winds from 45 mph to 60 mph fueled the fire.

All 229 homes in Boone were evacuated for a few hours. A reception area was set up at Pueblo County High School for those displaced in the fire.

boone fire from KKTV copy
The fire in Boone (credit: CBS)

Smoke from the fire forced the closure of Highway 50 east from Highway 96 to the Town of Fowler and Highway 95 east from the Pueblo Chemical Depot to the Town of Fowler. Drivers are urged to avoid the area.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.

An air quality health advisory has been put into effect for parts of Pueblo, Crowley and Lincoln Counties due to the Double Fork 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), the deadliest (Storm King) and largest wildfire (Hayman) in Colorado history.

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