HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo — A quiet afternoon in Highlands Ranch changed quickly when two homes went up in flames.
South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) said a fire in unincorporated Douglas County Thursday afternoon damaged two homes on Woodrose Lane.
"It was just really scary, just a lot of emotions. I can only imagine what they're going through," said Mike Uribe, who lives across the street from where the fire broke out.
Uribe said he was working at home when his wife reached out about a fire on their block.
"I looked out the window and just saw our neighbors house in flames," Uribe said. "So I ran downstairs and came out to the front yard and just as I came out of the front door, I could feel the heat."
Their doorbell camera caught just how fast the flames moved.
"I think you saw the fire start within a matter of 90 seconds. It was fence level height and all of a sudden, it was top of the roof," Uribe said.
"We believe, right now, that the fire possibly started outside between the two homes and then spread to both homes," said Brian Willie, public information officer with SMFR.
"When we came outside, there was explosion sounds just going off," Uribe said "That was really scary because you're like, 'What the hell is going on?'"
"That was coming from an electrical breaker box on the side of the house. So there were no concerns of further explosions. It was electrical breaker boxes that was on fire," Willie said.
Everyone inside both homes were able to get out safely, including their pets, Willie said. Still, the fire left serious damage behind.
"As you can imagine, the homeowners are a little shaken up but everybody is safe and everybody is okay," Willie said.
As firefighters worked to put out remaining hot spots, one firefighter was led out of a home. Crews took quick action to help address heat exhaustion.
"We want to cool them down, as you saw. The firefighters were calling for extra help there, pulling his gear off, his bunker jacket, everything," Willie said.
Two people and two firefighters were examined for heat-related illnesses, Willie said. The firefighter who was led out of the home was later taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure.
"That's a scary thing. It's a scary thing for everybody involved," Willie said.
With the fire out, just a skeleton of these homes remain.
Uribe said he worries for his neighbors and for what's next.
"It's sad. It makes you think, it makes you hopefully, more grateful and just hopefully be more prepared," Uribe said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Denver and the Front Range were under high fire danger Thursday with a high temperature near 91 degrees, which is just a few degrees off the daily record of 94 degrees set back in 1911.
Coupled with 30 to 40 mph wind gusts and a very dry air mass, any fire that starts could spread quickly.
It's a don't-be-stupid day: Avoid anything with a spark outside, and have a go kit ready just in case a fire starts near you.
On top of the high fire danger, we'll also have wildfire smoke in the air this afternoon due to fires in California. That'll create a hazy look to our skies today and early tonight.