Updated 8:07 p.m.
Officials say homes and structures have burned in Monte Vista due to a wildfire, which was first reported around 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. It is not clear how many people have been evacuated or how many have lost their homes.
However, fire crews say they have stopped the spread of the blaze.
Deputy Chief Paul Duarte from Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control thanked the volunteer firefighters on scene and credited them for helping stop the fire.
"There was an opportunity there for things to be very bad," Duarte said. "The fire is in better shape now."
Evacuation orders are still in place and some are without power. Xcel says their customers would see the lights come back on around 11p.m. However there were no updates for non-Xcel customers.
During a press conference Wednesday night, numerous residents grew audibly upset when they discovered they would not be allowed to return home. Monte Vista Police Chief George Dingfelder fielded numerous interruptions and threats — including accusation that police were "lying" about security in the evacuation area.
"If you guys think that these people aren't doing everything they can," Monte Vista Mayor Dale Becker said. "Your patience is requested on this. I understand your frustration."
The evacuation zone still includes about 20 to 30 homes, down from the initial 100 homes evacuated.
Officials warned that smoke would persist in the area.
A shelter has been set up by the Red Cross at the Church of the Nazarene on 228 Madison St. And an evacuation center has been set up at the Ski Hi Complex at 2335 Sherman Ave, according to city officials.
The National Weather Service has issued a high fire danger warning for the area and a large portion of southern Colorado because of high winds and low humidity.
Evacuations Lifted in Boulder County grass fire
Residents were evacuated from homes and businesses in Boulder County and the city of Monte Vista in the San Luis Valley on Thursday due to wildfires, local officials said.
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office ordered evacuations from an area west of the Lagerman Reservoir after the Table Mountain Fire sparked Thursday afternoon.
Officials canceled the evacuations around 4:45 p.m. after fire crews made significant progress containing the 30 to 35-acre blaze and authorities said it wasn’t endangering people or buildings.
This story has been updated to include information about a wildfire in Boulder.
