BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — Less than 24 hours after the Lake Shore Fire broke out in Boulder County, residents were allowed to return home as evacuations were lifted.
Marlene Leirfallom has lived near where the fire started for about 50 years and called Wednesday afternoon "terrifying."
"Suddenly the neighbor comes beeping and blasting his horn and flashing lights right down the street, screaming at us that his backyard was on fire and to get out now," she said.
Wildfire
All evacuations lifted in Lake Shore Fire in Boulder County
Crews continue to mop up hot spots. Small plumes of smoke could still be seen and smelled on Thursday morning.
The fire burned about seven acres, two of them on U.S. Forest Service land, and destroyed one home. While an exact containment percentage was not available, Rick Tillery, public information officer with Mountain View Fire Rescue, told Denver7 crews are "comfortable enough to leave the scene... The area is secure."
The Boulder County Sheriff's Office acknowledged the fire was likely human-caused, but accidental. It is in contact with two individuals regarding the start of the fire.
After roads were opened on Thursday morning, Denver7 was able to get an up-close look at the damage.
The structure that burned was surrounded by charred belongings and only the home's chimney remained standing.
"We were pretty terrified and there was no time to check with neighbors to do anything. We just had to pack up and leave," said Leirfallom, acknowledging the "tight-knit" community of neighbors who live in the area.
Some first responders told Denver7 they were in Oregon a few days prior, helping fight fires burning there, before coming back to Colorado.
Multiple agencies from across the state responded to the fire overnight on Wednesday.
“When this fire was reported to dispatch, it pulled crews from the Stone Canyon incident and crews from our district," said Rick Tillery, public information officer for Mountain View Fire Rescue.
Neighbors are trickling back into their homes after the #LakeshoreFire yesterday. A first responder shared these photos with us - A vantage point from behind the homes that our cameras aren’t able to capture @DenverChannel
— Natalie Chuck Denver7 (@NatalieChuck) August 1, 2024
We have a full recap in 10 min at 5:00 pic.twitter.com/y2c0F8px3Y
As multiple other fires continue burning nationwide, Leirfallom is expressing gratitude after returning home.
"So many people in this country, and right now with fires, have suffered such horrible experiences and are still doing that," Leirfallom said. "So, I can't weep and feel sorry for myself about any of this because people are in much worse shape."
Wildfires are now a year-round threat in Colorado. Denver7 is committed to covering their impact and the people working to find solutions to the threat.