Colorado mountain town dodges wildfire thanks to quick work from law enforcement: "You could lose an entire town"

A small brush fire behind a business in Idaho Springs is serving as another reminder of just how little it takes to start a wildfire in Colorado this summer. The fire broke out Sunday evening near the 1800 block of Miner Street, just yards from homes inside Idaho Springs city limits. Before firefighters arrived, deputies with the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office and officers with the Idaho Springs Police Department used fire extinguishers to knock down the flames, preventing what fire officials say could have become a much more serious incident.

"It was a little frustrating," Clear Creek Fire Authority Chief Jeremy Jones said. "I would assume everybody kind of knows better, but unfortunately, we're finding out some people, they don't."

According to the preliminary investigation, the fire was not started by a passing driver tossing a cigarette from Interstate 70, but a discarded cigarette or marijuana joint left behind by an employee of a nearby rafting company during a break.

"An employee of the business is the best we can tell," Jones said. "It's a local rafting company, and that's where the employees spend their non-work time or between tour time. We found a series of cigarettes in the area on the ground, and we determined it was a cigarette as a root cause."

CBS Colorado visited the rafting company following the investigation. A representative said the company was unaware of any employees smoking in the area where investigators said the fire started.

Fire officials said the fire comes at an especially dangerous time, with much of the Front Range, as well as Clear Creek County, under Stage 2 fire restrictions since June 29. Those restrictions prohibit smoking outdoors except inside an enclosed vehicle or building. Investigators believe the smoking material smoldered before eventually igniting nearby grass.

"We know that was the case, and that it smoldered for minutes to an hour before igniting," Jones said. "We want people to be more aware."

While this fire was stopped quickly, Jones said the consequences could have been devastating.

"It's too dry," he said. "You could lose houses. You could lose an entire town."

He pointed to previous Colorado disasters, including the CalWood Fire and the Marshall Fire, as examples of how quickly communities can be overwhelmed once a fire escapes initial attack. Clear Creek County remains exceptionally dry despite occasional rainfall.

"We need about 42 days of moisture every day just to make a difference in how dry we are," Jones said.

Officials stress cigarettes or joints are only one of many ignition sources they're worried about during the current fire season.

"It can be as simple as you mowing your lawn, striking a rock with your lawn mower," Jones said. "Dragging a chain behind your trailer, parking on dry grass, going camping and parking your vehicle over the grass can cause a fire. All of these things need to be considered."

Authorities say no criminal charges have been filed, yet. The investigation remains active and is being investigated by the Idaho Springs Police Department. Clear Creek County officials are encouraging residents and visitors to take Stage 2 restrictions seriously, noting that one careless mistake is all it takes to put an entire community at risk.