Jefferson County Sheriff: Fire near US 285 contained after spurring evacuations
DENVER (KDVR) — Officials reported that a forest fire ignited near Highway 285 and North Turkey Creek Road Sunday afternoon, calling it the Twin Forks Fire.
The fire was 100% contained by about 4 p.m.
The fire closed Highway 285 at North Turkey Creek Road in both directions for a few hours. Northbound was closed at milepost 243 and southbound was closed at milepost 244.
The Colorado Department of Transportation reported the road closure between North Turkey Creek Road and Summer Road. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were going door to door in the area to ensure residents were evacuated. At about 3:20 p.m., the sheriff’s office said there was a “small number of homes” evacuated or otherwise impacted by the fire.
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The area is near Indian Hills, between Mount Falcon, Lone Peak and Mount Lindo. The sheriff’s office said the fire was about three acres in size at about 2:25 p.m. At about 3:43 p.m., the agency said the fire was approximately 6.1 acres and had resulted in the evacuation of five homes.
“Firefighters are feeling good about the progress of firefighting efforts,” the sheriff’s office said on X at about 3:43 p.m.
There were no further evacuations needed for this fire, the sheriff’s office said, but a spokesperson for the department warned that the conditions are conducive to wildfire.
“Look, folks, we’re in the mountains in Colorado and it is dry, and it is hot,” the spokesperson said. “We have not seen a lot of moisture this spring and summer, so the risk for this type of incident is really high. That’s why we ask everyone to really be conscious of what they are doing.”
The spokesperson said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Two helicopters were requested to suppress the fire, along with multiple ground crews, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported, although one helicopter was not needed and turned around before reaching the fire.
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The agency also said the focus of the fire was on the south side of Highway 285 and the fire was “in the grass, shrubs and trees.”
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office shared photos of firefighting efforts at the Twin Lakes fire on July 28, 2024. U.S. Highway 285 was closed in both directions for safety concerns due to a grass fire (Credit: Colorado Department of Transportation) Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office shared photos of a fire near Highway 285 on Sunday, July 28, 2024. Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office shared photos of a fire near Highway 285 on Sunday, July 28, 2024. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office shared photos of firefighting efforts at the Twin Lakes fire on July 28, 2024. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office shared photos of firefighting efforts at the Twin Lakes fire on July 28, 2024. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office shared photos of firefighting efforts at the Twin Lakes fire on July 28, 2024. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office shared photos of firefighting efforts at the Twin Lakes fire on July 28, 2024. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office shared photos of firefighting efforts at the Twin Lakes fire on July 28, 2024. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office shared this photo from the Twin Lakes Fire on Sunday. The county’s fire helicopter was used to help extinguish the blaze.
At 2:50 p.m., Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office had 15 personnel on scene, in addition to fire crews from Twin Forks, Elk Creek, North Fork, Indian Hills, Inter Canyon, Evergreen and Douglas County Helitak.
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