Jul 22, 2008 6:52 pm US/Mountain
Oxyoke Fire 100 Percent Contained
DECKERS, Colo. (AP/CBS4) ―
A 110-acre wildfire burning five miles north of Deckers is now 100 percent contained, firefighters said Tuesday evening.
Ten to 15 homes had been evacuated and others were on standby. No structures burned. Evacuated residents may be allowed to return home by Tuesday night.
The U.S. Forest Service says fire managers will consider whether the evacuation order and road closures should be lifted at the end of day.
One couple was staying at a friend's nearby cabin.
"We've lived up here 5 years," said Karry Wallace, an evacuee. "It's nice to have a place to go home to."
The Oxyoke Fire started Sunday in the area about 60 miles southwest of Denver. The cause isn't known.
The wildfire was burning in grass, pine trees and oak brush in steep terrain in the Pike National Forest.
"The terrain is very steep and rough and it's hard on the firefighters safety wise," said Dawn Sanchez of the U.S. Forest Service. "There's a chance of falling, chance of rolling rocks, trees that have broken off and are rolling down the hill."
Roughly 225 firefighters battled the fire. Helicopters and planes have dropped water and fire retardant on the flames.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
