JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — A wildfire that forced hundreds of people in the Deer Creek Canyon area to evacuate their homes for nearly a week is now fully contained, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said.
The Quarry Fire, which started the night of July 30, burned 579.6 acres and was 100% contained by Wednesday afternoon. No structures were lost in the fire.
All mandatory evacuation orders related to the fire were lifted at 10 a.m. Tuesday, the sheriff's office said. Pre-evacuations have also been lifted.
Officials said good weather conditions and a little bit of rain that fell on Sunday allowed firefighters to perform controlled burns within the burn area. The conditions were so good, crews were able to burn off more than they had planned, public information officer Stacee Martin said.
While residents are allowed back, roadblocks will remain in place for 48 hours to keep non-residents from disturbing people returning to their homes, the sheriff's office said. All residents must have access credentials. General access will not be allowed until Thursday at 10 a.m. according to the sheriff's office.
Deer Creek Canyon Road will remain closed between Grizzly Drive and Phillipsberg for several days for final cleanup.
> Watch the 2 p.m. Monday fire update.
Returning home
The Winger family evacuated their home last week. Tuesday, they were reunited with the sentimental things they weren’t sure if they’d ever see again.
The Wingers' home was close to the flames.
“A quarter mile, they said,” Angela Winger said.
They’re just happy they still have a home.
“We are happy it’s all still standing and still intact,” Eric Winger said. “And that bulldozer ring around our house, it’s like our shield of protection. We like to look at it in that light. Something that was necessary to protect what’s most valuable.”
> From Saturday: Quarry Fire evacuees pick up re-entry passes for neighborhood access
Quarry Fire cause
The sheriff's office said the fire is believed to be human-caused, which prompted an arson investigation. They're using an arson K9 provided by the state to help them determine the cause.
The sheriff's office said Saturday that a video circulating on the internet claiming to have captured the start of the Quarry Fire was actually taken around two hours after the first flames sparked. However, officials are asking people to send in any footage they believe will help their investigation.
Anyone with information about how the fire started is asked to call the sheriff's office tip line at 303-271-5612.
Investigators determined the fire started on Deer Creek just above Grizzly Trail in the switchback area. A Jefferson County sheriff's deputy on routine patrol first spotted the fire around 9 p.m. on July 30, the sheriff's office said.