Some firefighters released as light rain around Colorado helps snuff wildfires

Light rain around Colorado on Sunday helped snuff wildfires that recently burned more than 58,000 acres, giving some firefighters a break and others a chance to target smoldering logs — and thousands of people evacuated from mountain houses went home.

Federal firefighting crews listed the 81-acre Buffalo fire, two miles west of heavily populated Silverthorne, as 95 percent contained with perimeter lines cut around charred terrain.

While the 34,161-acre wildfire burning in wilderness northwest of Durango was deemed only 30 percent contained, dozens of firefighters on Sunday were released from duty. The remaining 1,087 firefighters focused on attacking the fire where they could reach it.

The 3,715-acre Burro fire near Dolores, 12 percent contained, still was burning.

Just north of the Colorado-Wyoming border, rain over the weekend and increased humidity held the Badger Creek fire to 20,088 acres, according to a federal bulletin. The precipitation helped control the 474-acre Mailbox fire, 35 percent contained, near Norwood in southwestern Colorado. Firefighters were anticipating increased moisture before a drying trend Tuesday.

Read the full story from The Denver Post.