The Quarry fire that prompted hundreds of residents to be evacuated as flames crept dangerously close to homes in Jefferson County is now 100% contained, officials said Wednesday, about a week after a sheriff’s deputy found a fire burning in an open space and it quickly escalated.
Arson investigators are still looking into the human-caused fire, which grew to nearly 580 acres before firefighters had the perimeter fully under control, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said.
The fire started around 9 p.m. July 30 in Deer Creek Canyon and when it was discovered it was burning on only about 100 square feet. But with dry fuels and low moisture, the fire grew to 100 acres within three hours.
Officials say they know the origin of the fire and that it was human-caused, but have not released additional details on the investigation.
Anytime you see a fire like that start at 9 p.m., “it makes you scratch your head a little bit,” Mark Techmeyer, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office, said the day after the fire started.
As of Tuesday morning, all evacuated residents were allowed to return to their homes.