BOULDER COUNTY -- The Boulder County sheriff announced late Tuesday evening more evacuations will be lifted Wednesday morning in the Cold Springs Fire.
Sheriff Joe Pelle said he will be lifting the orders for St. Anton Highlands Wednesday at 9 a.m.
Evacuations were lifted for more than 800 people Tuesday morning.
67 residents in the Sugarloaf area and 737 residents in the Magnolia area were able to return home.
However, more than 1,100 residents still remain under a mandatory evacuation order. They are in the subdivisions east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, north of Boulder Canyon and south of Sugarloaf Road. See the evacuations map here.
The shelter at Nederland High School remains open. However, the shelter at the East Boulder Recreation Center has been closed.
-- Damage --
The fire, burning east of Nederland, has burned about 566 acres, eight homes and seven outbuildings.
Officials hope to get 25 percent containment on the fire by Tuesday night.
More than 480 personnel and 24 aircraft are assigned to the fire.
-- Road closures --
"Active firefighting activity is still going on in the areas near Cold Springs, Ridge Road, and Boulder Canyon Rd. near Barker Reservoir, and those areas remain closed to all traffic," the Boulder Office of Emergency Management said Tuesday.
Boulder Canyon Road (from Sugarloaf to Nederland) remains closed.
Magnolia Road reopened Tuesday morning at 11:30 a.m.
Sugarloaf Road is open and unrestricted for drivers entering from Peak to Peak Highway. Residents may need ID/proof of residence when entering from Boulder Canyon.
The Peak to Peak Highway (SH72) reopened to all vehicle traffic in both directions on Monday.
-- Potential home visit for evacuees Wednesday --
Residents and homeowners in the evacuation area may be allowed into the fire perimeter with an escort to get medications and retrieve/care for animals.
Officials said residents requesting this service should report to the checkpoint on Ridge Road east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway between 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday, officials said.
Entry will depend on ongoing firefighting and air operations.
-- Relief fund --
A fire relief fund has been set up through Foothills United Way to financially assist those families impacted by blaze.
Those wanting to make a donation can visit the Cold Springs Fire Fund website. The funds will be distributed by the Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services through case managers working with fire-impacted residents to determine need.
-- 2 people arrested --
Two out-of-state campers have been arrested for igniting the fire, the Boulder County Sheriff's Office said.
Jimmy Andrew Suggs, 28, and Zackary Ryan Kuykendall, 26, both of Vinemont, Ala., were in court Monday.
Suggs bond was set at $150,000 on Monday, Kuykendall's bond was set at $200,000.
Read the arrest report here.
They were arrested on suspicion of fourth-degree arson, a class four felony. The men face a felony arson charge because lives were endangered as a result of the fire.
The blaze started at an ad hoc campsite near the Peak to Peak Highway and Cold Springs Road. The two men, along with a woman, were camping on private property and had established a campfire overnight Thursday into Friday morning.
"The men did not ensure that the fire was properly extinguished by dousing it with water, or making sure the ashes were cool to the touch before leaving the site," an official with the Boulder County Sheriff's Office said.
Officials believe the winds in the area, combined with the weather, allowed the fire to continue smoldering.
Elizabeth Burdeshaw, 20, a mutual friend, will not face charges, as she did not have any involvement in creating, maintaining, or extinguishing the campfire, officials said.
-- Volunteers --
Officials said volunteers and in-kind donations are not needed at this time. To volunteer when help is needed, Help Colorado Now's website has a form to sign up for an e-newsletter with updates on volunteer needs.
"Those seeking to volunteer should not show up at the evacuation centers and shelters or go to the scene of the disaster," the Office of Emergency Management said. "The arrival of unexpected volunteers will interfere with response efforts."
-- FEMA authorizes funds to help fight fire --
FEMA has approved the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Cold Springs Fire in Boulder County.
This authorization makes FEMA funding available for 75 percent of the state's eligible firefighter's costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires. The grants, however, do not provide monetary relief for individual home or business owners.
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