This story was last updated at 7:25 p.m. on Feb. 28. The fire is 100% contained. See photos from the fire and response here.
Crews with Boulder Fire-Rescue responded to the Bluebell wildfire burning southwest of Chautauqua in unincorporated Boulder County.
Fire Chief Michael Calderazzo said the call came in at 12:45 p.m. The fire was initially estimated at about half an acre, burning in light, flashy fuels and spreading into nearby trees at a moderate rate, according to the first unit on scene, per Watch Duty.
As of 3:45 p.m., the fire was mapped at approximately 1.5 acres, down from earlier estimates of about five acres. More than 100 firefighters were on scene.
As of around 6:30 p.m., officials said the fire was 100% contained, and weather conditions were expected to cooperate with suppression efforts.
Emergency officials had issued an evacuation warning for the Chautauqua Cottages area at 1:25 p.m. Saturday. Officials later said the fire never reached the cottages, and the only evacuations were of hikers on nearby trails. Hundreds of people were cleared from the trails, and no injuries were reported.
Two helicopters assisted with firefighting efforts. A state helicopter made seven water drops of approximately 560 gallons each before being placed on standby. Smoke was visible from downtown Boulder.
The fire is in unincorporated Boulder County, and the cause remains under investigation. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the fire. Calderazzo said he had “no clue” what caused it and did not want to speculate.
The wildfire comes after weeks of unusually warm, dry and windy conditions across Boulder and the Front Range. Officials said fuels were extremely dry, with single-digit humidity levels and little recent snowfall, though winds were not as strong as they could have been.
“All it has to do is wait for the wind to kick up and we’re in red flag days,” Calderazzo said. He encouraged residents to enjoy the outdoors but to know how to self-evacuate if they see fire.
Boulder has seen multiple Red Flag Warnings in recent weeks, with low humidity and little measurable precipitation. Snowpack remains well below normal following a historically warm winter, conditions that have raised concerns about an early start to fire season.
Thanks for your reporting on this. I will be following closely. But you should note that there is an error in the article. It says that this happened on Friday, but in fact that happened on Saturday.
Thank you, and corrected.