DENVER -- About 200 homes were evacuated in Glenwood Springs Thursday night because of the threat of flash floods from heavy storms over fire-charred hillsides.

Shortly before 10 p.m. Thursday night the rain storm shifted away from Glenwood Springs and residents were allowed to return to their homes, according to Ron VanMeter of the Garfield County Sheriff's Department.

Rain also fell on a wildfire southwest of Denver Thursday, washing debris onto a highway but causing no other damage.

In Glenwood Springs, the National Weather Service warned that thunderstorms closing in from the east could drench the steep terrain, triggering floods, rock slides and mud slides.

Garfield County sheriff's deputies ordered residents on the west side of town to leave their homes, a sheriff's dispatcher said. He declined to give his name.

The exact neighborhood evacuated was the Mitchell Creek-area of West Glenwood, according to KJCT-TV in Grand Junction.

Evacuees were taken to the Glenwood Springs Mall, according to KJCT-TV.

The Coal Seam fire, ignited June 8 by long-smoldering fire in a coal seam that broke through the surface, has burned more than 12,000 acres and destroying 29 homes. The fire was 10 percent contained by Thursday.

Southwest of Denver, rain washed debris from a 137,760-acre wildfire onto a highway but caused no significant flooding.

Homeowners and firefighters at the Hayman fire are wary about the risk of flash floods from rain falling on ground left almost impervious to water by a waxy layer of burned debris.

"We're watching things," fire information officer Frank Beum said after showers sprinkled parts of the fire. "It's not really causing us a current problem."

Beum said some debris washed onto Colorado 67 northeast of the fire. Neither the Colorado State Patrol or Department of Transportation could confirm the report.

The fire, which was contained Tuesday, has destroyed 133 homes and one business. It has not been extinguished.

In southwestern Colorado, an investigative team began its inquiry into the death of a firefighter at the Missionary Ridge fire near Durango.

Alan Wayne Wyatt, 51, of Ontario, Ore., was cutting down fire-damaged trees Tuesday when he was hit on the back of the head by a tree that looked healthy but apparently had its roots burned away.

Colleagues said Wyatt was not working with a spotter who could have warned him of the falling timber.

No one witnessed the accident. It wasn't until someone spotted the rancher and part-time firefighter laying on the ground under the tree that four other firefighters ran to help.

The wildfire north of Durango, which has destroyed 56 homes, was 70 percent contained. Rain and double-digit humidity helped firefighters.

___=