BOULDER COUNTY -- Some residents evacuated by the Cold Springs Fire near Nederland were allowed to move back home on Wednesday, while others were allowed quick visits.
The Boulder County sheriff Joe Pelle lifted the evacuation orders for St. Anton Highlands on Wednesday at 9 a.m. Evacuation orders were lifted Tuesday for the Sugarloaf area and the Magnolia area. See the evacuations map here.
Mandatory evacuations remain in effect for residents who live in the Bonanza Mountain Estates.
The shelter at Nederland High School remains open. However, the shelter at the East Boulder Recreation Center has been closed.
-- Road closures --
Boulder Canyon is expected to reopen tonight at 8 p.m.
Until then, the road is closed from Summer Road to the Town of Nederland, and east along Cold Springs Road from the intersection of the Cold Springs Road and the Peak-to-Peak Highway.
Several other roads are expected to open Wednesday afternoon.
Get the latest road closures here.
-- Home visits --
Residents and homeowners in the evacuation area were allowed into the fire perimeter with an escort Wednesday. That ended at 11 a.m. Wednesday.
-- Damage --
The fire has burned about 528 acres, eight homes and seven outbuildings.
The fire is 25 percent.
More than 480 personnel assigned to the fire. There are 30 engines and nine crews working on the fire.
-- 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.
The blaze started at a campsite near the Peak to Peak Highway and Cold Springs Road, officials said.
"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, who was camping with the men, 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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