Boulder residents react to Sunshine Wildland Fire: 'It just looked so bad coming from Sunshine Canyon'
It was a nerve-wracking afternoon for many residents in Boulder County, as white smoke filled the sky on Monday.
"I just saw the smoke, so I just decided to see what it is, and it's right back there, and I got home and the phone started going off the hook," said Mark Tu, a resident who self-evacuated.
A birds' eye view from Copter4, revealed the magnitude of the Sunshine Wildland Fire. Fire officials said the fire started in the afternoon at a structure. It's unclear what ignited the fire at the structure. Earlier in the day, emergency notifications went out to dozens of residents notifying them to evacuate the area.
"I've lived here for over 30 years," said Tu. "This is my fourth evacuation, I'm kinda like 'OK, you just gotta see what mother nature does,' the winds are crazy, it's kinda sucky, but it's kinda like a wait and see."
Firefighters were also going door-to-door alerting residents like Jo Weedman to leave their homes immediately. Weedman lives in the Pine Brook Hill area. She quickly grabbed her cat Kitty and dog Poppy and rushed to the nearby evacuation center set up at the East Boulder Community Center.
"It just looked so bad coming from Sunshine Canyon," Weedman said. "I grabbed everything I could think of. I grabbed my toothbrush and toothpaste, pajamas, and when I saw something, I just grabbed it, and I closed all the doors in the house hoping the fire wouldn't get in."
As of 9 p.m., officials confirmed the fire was 16 acres in size with 25% containment. At least 457 residents remained evacuated from 167 homes. Late Monday, fire officials lifted the evacuation warnings, but the mandatory evacuation orders were still in effect as of 9 p.m.
Almost a year since the Marshall Fire ripped through the same county, these residents are feeling the same sense of uncertainty. Weedman told CBS News Colorado that she was allowed to go back home, and she said tonight she is thankful for crews on the front lines.
"The fireman are terrific," said Weedman. "I think we'll be just fine. I just hope Sunshine Canyon is fine also."