Two people were arrested Sunday for causing the Cold Springs Fire in Colorado, a blaze that has grown to nearly 600 acres.
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The two were arrested Sunday, each facing a charge of fourth-degree arson, a felony.
The campfire that sparked the fire was about a mile away from an established campground popular with transients, Boulder County Sheriff’s Office division chief Heidi Prentup said.
The men did not ensure that the fire was properly extinguished by dousing it with water, or making sure the ashes were cool to the touch before leaving the site, according to the sheriff’s statement.
It is believed, the sheriff’s office added, that high winds in the area, combined with the weather that has hovered above 90 degrees for much of the weekend, allowed the fire to smolder longer than it might have otherwise. The fire eventually spread from the ad hoc campsite, resulting in the Cold Springs Fire.
Authorities say the fire started Saturday afternoon west of Boulder and grew quickly to more than 200 acres.
There are 155 firefighters battling the blaze along with dozens of other crews.
The men were booked into the Boulder County Jail.
Crews are still watching what they are calling “islands of fire” within the hot zone.
The bad news follows an announcement earlier in the day by officials at a community meeting that the fire is expected to be 25 percent contained by Tuesday evening.
“We went outside and looked and saw an inferno in the sky”, Kennedy said.
The shaded yellow portion of the map is the evacuation area, while the shaded orange reflects the fire perimeter.
The Daily Camera interviewed the two men before they were arrested.
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It’s one of three wildfires that are now burning in Boulder County. The Hayden Pass fire is burning in dead and downed timber and has forced the evacuation of campsites in the area. An evacuation order was issued for Parsons Draw landowners on Saturday. The Colorado National Guard has 50 soldiers and airmen aiding in fighting the fire and providing security.
