LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. — Evacuation orders have been lifted for three of the four wildfires that burned thousands of acres and forced people from their homes on the Colorado Front Range starting last week.
More than 50 structures, including 32 homes, were destroyed in the fires, which all started within three days of each other during a stretch of hot and dry weather. Thousands of residents were evacuated from their homes for nearly a week as firefighters from Colorado and across the country battled the flames in scorching heat.
At least two of the fires appeared to be human-caused, fire officials said.
Wednesday, Gov. Jared Polis activated the Colorado National Guard to assist with firefighting efforts for the first time since the December 2021 Marshall Fire.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Alexander Mountain, Stone Canyon and Quarry fires.
In Larimer County, the Alexander Mountain Fire burned 9,668 acres in the Big Thompson Canyon area west of Loveland. A total of 51 structures were affected by the fire: 26 homes lost, four other homes damaged, and 21 outbuildings destroyed.
Containment was at 83% as of Tuesday afternoon.
Hundreds of homes were evacuated due to the fire, which started July 29. Many, but not all, evacuation orders were lifted by Tuesday afternoon.
Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.
A southern edge of the Alexander Mountain Fire evacuation area overlapped with the evacuation area for the Stone Canyon Fire, which started July 30 in Boulder County. Five homes were destroyed in that fire, which burned 1,553 acres and forced evacuations north of Lyons. The fire was fully contained and all evacuation orders were lifted by Sunday night.
On Wednesday, human remains were found inside one of the destroyed homes. Investigators are working to determine how the person died.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Also in Boulder County, another wildfire, the Lake Shore Fire, forced evacuations July 31 near Gross Reservoir. One home was destroyed in the fire, which burned about seven acres. The evacuation orders were lifted by Thursday morning, and the fire was fully contained by Friday.
Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson said the fire was human-caused, but appears to be accidental.
In Jefferson County, the Quarry Fire forced hundreds of evacuations in the Deer Creek Canyon area near Ken Caryl, southwest of Denver. That fire was first spotted around 9 p.m. July 30. It had burned about 578 acres and was 82% contained by Tuesday afternoon.
All evacuation orders were lifted by Tuesday morning. No structures were damaged or destroyed by the fire.
The sheriff's office said the fire is believed to be human-caused, which prompted an arson investigation that's still ongoing.