BAILEY, Colo. -- The size of the Snaking Fire remained at 2,500 acres Friday, but fire officials they had it 50 percent contained by Friday night.

Firefighters said that they hoped to have the fire under control by Tuesday night.

About 1,000 homes remained threatened, along with the same number of commercial buildings, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Firefighters worked the fire from the northwest toward Highway 285, south of Crow Hill Friday.

Fire Investigation

The fire started on a ridge behind Platte Canyon High School and Park County Sheriff Fred Wegener said three students may have started the blaze while smoking, 7NEWS reported.

Authorities told 7NEWS two of the students have refused to talk to them and their families have hired lawyers.

Residents of only four subdivisions are still prevented from returning to their homes Friday: Bailey Estates, Lazy Ours, Horseshoe and Crow Valley were still under an evacuation order.

The wildfire evacuated the small town of Bailey Wednesday, The town, without a stoplight, is about about 40 miles southwest of Denver, in the foothills. It has a population of about 4,400 people.

Cooler weather on Thursday helped firefighters start to gain the upper hand on the troublesome blaze.

The fire has become the nation's top firefighting priority and several hundred more firefighters are expected on the front lines on Friday.

By the end, about 1,000 firefighters will have played a part in tackling the fire.

SNAKING FIRE SLIDESHOW: Getting It Under Control Role Of Air Tankers In Fire Fight SLIDESHOW: Snaking Fire: Day 2 SLIDESHOW: Day 1 RESOURCES Fire Information, Phone Numbers Health Risks From Fire Insurance Tips For Evacuees Perimeter Of Fire U.S. Forest Service: Snaking Fire Pinecam.com Local Info Fire Bans Call the Park County Sheriff's hotline at (719) 836-4121 or 4122 or 4123 for evacuation info

Residents of Horse Shoe Park, Lazy Ours, Ravenswood, Hill & Dale, Bailey Estates, Parkview, and Crow Valley were kept from their homes because of the fire danger.

Residents of several other neighborhoods evacuated Tuesday and Wednesday were allowed to return to their homes Wednesday night.

No homes have burned in the latest fire, although one shed and another small structure were destroyed by the fire on Tuesday, officials said.

Residents appeared to be happy with the way they were being kept informed by fire officials. Official maps, updated fire statistics and telephone numbers were handed out to shoppers at the local supermarket in nearby Conifer.

A Town Hall meeting was held Thursday night at Conifer High School to brief residents on the fire. They learned there was no estimate for full containment or control of the fire.

Smoke from the fire drifted over the foothills southwest of Denver Thursday morning, raising health concerns.

The fire was burning in mostly Ponderosa pine and fir around Grouse Mountain and Split Rock, between Shawnee and Crow Hill. The blaze is contained to Park County on Pike National Forest and on private land.