Firefighters are mopping up a fire that sparked west of Boulder in the Fourmile Canyon area Monday night, though authorities are concerned gusty winds could fan the flames.
About 9 p.m., the Wild Turkey fire was estimated at around 3 acres and firefighters had stopped the fire’s spread, Seth McKinney, fire management officer with the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, said.
An evacuation order and warning were issued to about 662 people just before 6 p.m. after the fire sparked along the steep, rugged terrain. McKinney could not provide an estimated time as to when evacuation orders would be lifted. A cause of the fire has not been announced.
“Because it is such a tight area, the goal is to keep people out to let first responders do their work,” McKinney said.
Firefighters have secured the perimeter of the fire and are attacking hotspots, he said. Winds are lessening but gusts in the canyon are between 40 to 50 mph.
Authorities will re-evaluate evacuation orders around midnight, if not earlier, Vinnie Montez, spokesperson for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, said.
“It’s important people understand: We don’t want to send people back in until the fire crews are completely confident,” Montez said.
In 2010, a wind-fueled fire ripped through the canyon when the air was extremely dry and winds were steadily blowing at about 15 mph, with gusts about 40 mph, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The Fourmile Canyon fire burned 6,200 acres, primarily private property, and destroyed 169 homes.