A structure fire at a shopping center in Nederland forced evacuations early Wednesday morning before being contained, while planned prescribed burns continued in Boulder County, Colorado.
According to the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, the fire at the Caribou Village Shopping Center at 20 Lakeview Drive was substantially knocked down by morning crews.
Sheriff's deputies and firefighters responded to the blaze, which began before 4 a.m.
"This morning, we do have a structure fire, which at this point in time, as if you're seeing this video, has been knocked down substantially," said Vinnie Montez, public information officer for the Boulder County Sheriff's Office, in his first update of the day.
The fire triggered evacuation orders for residents in the area south of Barker Reservoir. However, officials lifted the evacuation by mid-morning, according to Montez's second update.
"We have actually received an all clear at this point," Montez said. "You may return to your homes."
Multiple road closures remained in effect around the shopping center area throughout the morning. Big Springs and State Highway 119 were closed to eastbound traffic, while Lakeview and Highway 119 also remained closed eastbound. Additional closures were implemented at Conger and Lakeview for westbound traffic.
Residents returning to the Big Springs area must access the subdivision through Peak View Road near the Sundance Cafe.
The fire's cause remains under investigation, with the Boulder County Sheriff's Office detective bureau and ATF agents working to determine how the fire was started.
Montez said a large amount of water was used to combat the flames, so the public is being asked to conserve their usage.
"A lot of water was used this morning in order to help fight that fire at the shopping center," Montez said. "The community members that are part of your town board and city manager are asking that you do your best to conserve water."
Despite the morning fire, several Nederland businesses survived. The Carousel of Happiness, BNF Market, and Train Car Coffee and Cava were spared damage.
"There are no anticipated trail closures as a result of this burn," the fire rescue said on Facebook.
The city said in a Monday press release that prescribed burns were planned between mid-October and mid-November on city open space south of Eldorado Springs Drive and west of Highway 93, depending on weather and resources.
"Prescribed fire is one of the most effective tools we have to make Boulder's landscapes more resilient while also reducing the risk of severe wildfires," said Michael Calderazzo, chief of Boulder Fire-Rescue. "These burns are conducted with great care and coordination and only under the right conditions."
Boulder County Sheriff's Office fire management teams also initiated prescribed burns west of Superior between Marshall Road and State Highway 128, Montez said.
According to Boulder Fire Rescue, smoke from both the Nederland structure fire and prescribed burns was visible across the Boulder area. Residents were asked not to call 911 regarding smoke from the planned burns.
"Community members may notice smoke coming from the area but should not call 911 on these burns as they are not an emergency," the fire rescue stated.
According to city officials, prescribed burns serve multiple purposes, including reducing wildfire risk by reducing the amount of dry vegetation, supporting healthier ecosystems, and controlling invasive plants.
Residents can learn more about prescribed burn programs and sign up for notifications at bouldercolorado.gov/PrescribedBurn. Information about evacuations and alerts is available at bocoalert.org.