JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — A wildfire that prompted pre-evacuation notices and led to the postponement of Red Rocks' season-opening concert Friday is now 100% contained, West Metro Fire Rescue said.
The Hogback Fire was first reported around 2:15 p.m. Friday along the hogback south of Interstate 70 west of Denver. It was estimated at 44 acres Saturday afternoon, firefighters said. It was 70% contained as of Sunday at noon. Firefighters said Monday afternoon that it is now fully contained.
Pre-evacuations notices were issued to the following areas Friday afternoon:
- The town of Morrison
- The Solterra Subdivision of Lakewood
- The Red Rock Ranch neighborhood at C-470
All of the pre-evacuation notices were lifted by 8:30 p.m Friday. Highways 93 and 26 were closed in the area Friday but were back open by 2 p.m. Saturday.
The fire was moving from near Alameda Avenue and C-470 to the southeast Friday, WMFR said. The agency shared a video they said was from the west side of the hogback, which was where the fire started and was pushed up the slope and over the top of the ridge by the winds.
Rhonda Scholting, spokeswoman for WMFR, said conditions were brutal.
"Imagine fighting a fire when you can barely stand up," she said.
She also said that a helicopter was on standby for air support but it couldn't fly in the high winds.
A Dabin concert scheduled for Friday evening at Red Rocks was postponed. The music venue said a new date has not been determined, and that AEG will send out more information to those who had tickets to the show. It would've been the earliest start to the concert season at Red Rocks if the fire hadn't had gotten in the way, according to Brian Kitts, director of marketing and communications for the venue.
West Metro said the fire was caused by an electrical wire that was brought down by the wind on the west side of the hogback.
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