JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — Hundreds of residents west of Ken Caryl who were forced to leave their homes in the middle of the night last week due to a fast-spreading wildfire in the area will be able to return home Tuesday, according to Jefferson County officials.
“GOOD NEWS!” read a social media post on X, formerly Twitter, from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday morning. “Effective 10 a.m. today all mandatory evacuations will be lifted."
The lifting of the mandatory evacuation orders means some of the over 350 or so residents who still could not return home over the weekend will remain on pre-evacuation status.
“This is not done. It’s not over. Stay in a pre-evac mindset. Anything could happen. We could have a weird weather event. We don't anticipate that, but it could (happen)," Mark Techmeyer, the public affairs director for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, said in a Saturday news conference as the first two groups of evacuated residents were allowed to return home. "We've instructed all of them to keep your go-bags packed, be ready to go if you have to go again," he added.
Pre-evacuation notices for residents in the Deer Creek Mesa and Kuester subdivisions — the first two that were allowed back in — will also be lifted, according to officials.
#QuarryFire update:
— Jeffco Sheriff (@jeffcosheriffco) August 6, 2024
•2pm press conference cancelled.
•GOOD NEWS! Effective 10 a.m. today all mandatory evacuations will be lifted.
•All residents must have access credentials issued at the evacuation center located at Dakota Ridge High School, located at 13399 W. Coal Mine… pic.twitter.com/3f2qUwnoPL
Only residents who have registered with county officials at the evacuation center at Dakota Ridge High School will be allowed in. Driver licenses will not work for re-entry into any of the affected neighborhoods.
Deer Creek Canyon Rd. will remain closed between Grizzly Dr. and Phillipsberg for several days for final clean up, county officials said.
The fire was reported late evening on July 30 and quickly grew in size. Three days later, on Aug. 2, Jefferson County officials said the fire was being investigated as arson, though it's not yet clear if the fire was intentionally set or not. Anybody with information about the origin of the fire is asked to call 303-271-5612.
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As of Tuesday afternoon, the Quarry Fire had burned 578 acres of land in steep, mountainous terrain and was 82% contained, according to Jefferson County officials.
No homes have been lost to the fire.
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.