Wildfire south of Lafayette prompts evacuations

A grassfire that started in southeastern Boulder County on Monday afternoon and prompted evacuations and the closure of U.S. 287 has been contained, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office said in an update at about 4:40 p.m.
“That fire has been contained and knocked down significantly, so that is absolutely good news,” Vinnie Montez, a spokesperson for the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, said in a video update online.
He said smoke will be visible into the evening because of hay bales that are still smoldering. Southbound lanes of U.S. 287 remain closed south of Dillon Road.
This video taken from Lake Link Trail near Overlook Drive in Broomfield. (Courtesy of Baylan Wysuph)
The fire started near South 104th Street and U.S. 287, just north of the Northwest Parkway, near the Colorado Tech Center business park. Pushed by strong winds, the fire moved east before being contained, Montez said.
All evacuation orders were lifted as of 4:20 p.m.
The burn area is a few miles east of the eastern edge of the Marshall Fire, which tore through Superior and Louisville on Dec. 30, 2021.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
Type of Story: News
Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Olivia Prentzel covers breaking news and a wide range of other important issues impacting Coloradans for The Colorado Sun, where she has been a staff writer since 2021. At The Sun, she has covered wildfires, criminal justice, the environment,…
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