Copyright 2006 Denver Publishing Company
600 acres burn near Boulder, Colo., no structures involved
By BILL SCANLON
Rocky Mountain News (Colorado)
A grass fire snaked along a ditch Tuesday, propelled by dry conditions and howling wind, burning 600 acres between Boulder and Lyons, but not damaging any structures.
By late afternoon the fire was nearly contained, and a wetline had kept it from jumping 49th Street, Boulder Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Julie Brooks said.
Stretches of Foothills Highway and 49th Street, closed for several hours, were reopened by 4:15 p.m.
The fire left a two-mile black ribbon running northeast along Lykens Gulch from U.S. 36 to just shy of 49th Street.
Fifteen agencies and 40 people responded to the fire, which was reported at 11:46 a.m. It apparently started on the shoulder of U.S. 36, which is called Foothills Highway on that stretch about nine miles north of Boulder.
Lt. Phil West of the Boulder County Sheriff’s Department said grass fires on the shoulders of roads often are caused by a cigarette tossed carelessly from a car. No official cause of the fire, dubbed the Elk Mountain Fire, has been identified.
“These grass fires burn rapidly, hot, but briefly,” West said. “If you can keep the temperature down, they won’t even catch trees on fire.”
U.S. 36 between Nelson Road and St. Vrain Road was closed soon after the fire was reported. Later, 49th Street between Nelson and St. Vrain also was closed.
The Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont received horses and other livestock from the homes near the fire.