A brush fire just off of US 285 that prompted numerous evacuations and closed the highway in both directions for a brief period of time has been contained, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said Wednesday evening.
The fire off highway 285 and Turkey Creek Road burned an outbuilding and charred seven acres late Wednesday afternoon.
As of around 6 p.m., the fire had been contained and all lanes of US 285 had reopened. S Turkey Creek Road between North Turkey Creek Road and 6990 S. Turkey Creek remained closed. Eight homes along North Turkey Creek Road were evacuated.
“It’s right up along US 285, I mean it burned right up to the bridge,” said Chris Kaska, as he watched the fire near North Turkey Creek burn.
He talked to his brother and let him know both he and his dad, who also lives close by, were safe.
Kaska said, “Dad called and I was down in town and he said he couldn't even get home.”
He has lived in the area for 42 years and doesn't remember it being this dry this early.
“Never, never, I don't ever remember it being like this. We always get moisture in the spring and this year even the late winter was dry," said Kaska.
That's why he's worried.
Kaska said, “This year was different. It's scary and this is the 2nd time this season I have rushed back up from town to see how close it was and to be sure mom and dad were okay.”
Photos shared by the sheriff's office showed a large plume of smoke drifting across the highway.
US 285 and Turkey Creek Road brush fire
“The trees they went up in a heartbeat, said Kaska.
Along with two vehicles and an outbuilding.
Kaska said, “I didn't even know it was up in there.”
Jenny Fulton, with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department said, “This one grew a little bigger than we were hoping because of the wind.”
For fire fighters working the front range, this is something they've had to deal with almost every day recently.
“We have a fire ban in place in Jefferson County. It's extremely dry we haven't had precipitation in a couple of months,” Fulton said.
In the last two weeks, we've seen wildfires in Evergreen, South Table Mountain, and Sunshine Canyon near Boulder.
With it being so early in the year, people living in fire-prone areas are concerned about what late spring and summer will bring.
Kaska said, “It’s scary so hopefully we get the moisture that's coming and we get some of this stuff popped down and moistened up.”
He hopes if or when that happens the worried phone calls from his family will stop.
There's no word yet on what caused the fire.
