Authorities in Park County announced Tuesday night that a 340-acre fire near Conifer also was caused by humans, and not lightning, as previously suspected.

"We just got the news, and our investigators will go from there," said Sheriff Fred Wegener.

The Black Mountain fire forced more than 2,400 people to evacuate. Evacuation orders for the nine affected subdivisions have since been lifted.

The fire is 70 percent contained and full containment is expected Wednesday, when cooler temperatures are expected to help firefighters.

The fire did not grow Tuesday, but officials increased their estimate of its size from 245 acres after re-mapping with better equipment, said Rick Barton, spokesman for the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team.

Almost $856,000 has been spent on containing the blaze.

The fire came within a quarter-mile of one house and within two miles of subdivisions in the area.

After a dry winter, more than 400 wildfires have burned about 15,600 acres in Colorado this year, according to the Rocky Mountain Area Coordinating Center of the National Interagency Fire Center.

Previous Stories:

• May 7, 2002: Lightning Caused Black Mountain Fire, Officials Say
• May 6, 2002: Air Attacks Help Subdue Black Mountain Fire
• May 6, 2002: Fire Forces Thousands To Evacuate