Evacuations lifted for residents near Penley Fire southwest of Denver metro area

A wildfire sparked southwest of the Denver metro area on Sunday evening, prompting Douglas County officials to temporarily issue an evacuation order.

Around 5 p.m., the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said emergency crews were responding to a forest fire west of Sedalia. DCSO deputies and personnel with the Office of Emergency Management, West Douglas Fire, Castle Rock Fire and a helitack crew responded to the scene to work on containment efforts for the Penley Fire.

In an update after 6 p.m., the sheriff's office announced evacuation orders for residents within a 2-mile radius around West Douglas Fire Station 132 at Hwy 67 & Oak Valley. They encouraged residents to evacuate to the Sedalia Post Office.

Those orders were scaled back on Monday afternoon as teams continued to make progress on containment. For now, those previously under an evacuation order are in a warning zone, and residents are clear to return home.

In an update, the sheriff's office shared that the fire is holding at approximately 3 acres and is 75% contained as of Monday afternoon. They said the steep, rugged terrain is making things challenging for firefighters, and the helitack team will continue to support containment efforts.