The areas of re-evacuation include the Boulder Heights, Pine Brook Hills and Carriage Hills subdivisions, as well as homes on Olde Stage Road and Lee Hill Drive that were allowed back in at 10 a.m. on Thursday.  Residents in the areas of Sugarloaf, from Boulder Canyon to Sugar Court; Fourmile Canyon from Boulder Canyon to Poorman; Sunshine from Boulder Canyon to Poorman; and Lefthand, were possibly going to be allowed back in at 2 p.m., but that was cancelled.  Some residents are extremely upset by Pelle's decision, calling it a "broken promise." Pelle says the safety of the residents is the top priority, especially because there is no phone or electricity going to the homes at this time.  "Our ability to do an immediate notification in the middle of the night and get them out of there if the fire slips the lines is very limited, and I do not want people to burn in their houses in the middle of the night because we can't get to them or get a phone call to them," Pelle said.  The mandatory evacuations did not stop some residents from trying to get back to their property. Cmdr. Rick Brough of the Boulder County Emergency Management Office says one person was ticketed for trying to cross into the closed-off area.  Brough says after surveying 80 percent of the nearly 10-square-mile burn area, 169 homes have been destroyed in the fire. They say another 20 percent needs to be surveyed before they reach a final tally.  Authorities say there were no additional structures reported as burned down or damaged on Thursday.  Fire officials say 550 firefighters were currently working the blaze and an additional 160 firefighters arrived on Thursday to join in the fight.

Boulder Heights is where I grew up.  Sugar Loaf Mountain is where the Betasso Preserve lives.  That was a cattle ranch my Dad's family owned for generations.  My uncle deeded the land to the city as open space.


Most importantly, people need to stay out of fire fighters way.  They can't do what they need to do when people are trying to run to their homes.  I know it's a natural fear response, but really.  I, at one time, lost everything I owned.  Not because of natural disaster, but because of my own horrible behavior.  What I learned on the other side of that - it's just stuff.  I am glad to hear that people are taking care of their families and their pets.  Let the rest go, please.  It is terribly sad, and it takes time to heal, but heal they will if they allow time to work.