Fire destroys 1 home and forces the evacuation of 700 others in a Colorado subdivision

A human-caused fire destroyed the house where it began and continued to burn Tuesday, pushed by strong winds, in a wooded subdivision in the central Colorado mountains where some 700 nearby homes have been evacuated, authorities said.

Some rain fell early Tuesday, helping to dampen the flames somewhat, Sheriff Jason Marksell in Teller County said. The fire has burned 166 acres (67 hectares) since it started Monday afternoon. It was 15% contained early Tuesday afternoon, he said.

Ground crews were aggressively protecting homes, other crews were using equipment to build fire lines and two single-engine air tankers began dropping water on the fire Tuesday morning in the Highland Lakes Subdivision northwest of the town of Divide, northwest of Colorado Springs. The homes are built on 1.25-acre (.5 hectare) lots, according to the Highland Lakes Property Owners Association.

Air tankers and firefighting helicopters have also been called in, the sheriff said.

“We’re doing everything possible to get this fire knocked down quickly and under control,” Marksell said, “because we are worried about the turn in the weather.”

It's unclear when residents will be allowed back into their homes because of the danger of the fire shifting directions with the winds, Marksell said. Residents were being escorted into the neighborhood on Tuesday if they needed to retrieve life-saving medications or medical devices.

Snow is forecast in the area overnight and into Wednesday, but Marksell cautioned that it may not be enough to snuff out the fire.

If residents can't return home by Wednesday, Marksell, said they would consider escorting people in to pick up ballots that had been mailed to them.

Meanwhile, law enforcement officers were investigating the cause of the fire.

“We are treating this as a criminal act,” Marksell said. He declined to release any further information about whether they believe the fire was accidental or intentional.

The total value of the evacuated homes is about $300 million, Marksell said.