BOULDER, Colo. — Boulder Fire Rescue said on Tuesday it is investigating the cause of a fire that sparked over the weekend in the Chautauqua area and that natural causes have been ruled out as a possibility.
About 7:40 p.m. Saturday, Boulder Fire Rescue responded to a wildfire after callers to 911 reported seeing flames on the second flatiron, according to a news release. The agency said the half-acre wildland fire was contained six hours later, by 1:30 a.m. Sunday, thanks to the efforts of more than 20 firefighters and other city agencies.
Firefighters had to use several mitigation strategies Saturday, as it was challenging to get water to the flames due to the topography of the area, the agency said. Aside from using hoses, crews employed tactics such as hot-spotting (stopping the fire from progressing by using hand tools) and cup-trenching (removing vegetation around the fire to starve it of fuel).
Boulder Fire said they don't know yet what started the flames but said "natural causes can be ruled out as a potential cause because there was no lightning or other natural opportunity."
There are many things people can do to prevent wildfires in their areas. The department said residents shouldn't burn things outdoors and should always make sure to safely dispose of things that could potentially start a fire, like coal and cigarette butts.
The release also said to avoiding campfires during a Red Flag warning and said residents can cut down on "agricultural fuel" or vegetation around their homes as an extra step to prevent the spread of wildfires.
More 9NEWS fire coverage:
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Latest from 9NEWS
