Barbara Lawlor, Boulder County.     On Thursday afternoon, the Nederland Fire Protection District, the Sugar Loaf Fire Protection District and the Timberline Fire Protection District were dispatched to a wildland fire off of Cougar Run. When firefighters arrived the fire had consumed a 50' by 50' area, scorching the duff and tree trunks and starting to lick their way up the tree trunks.

The firefighters quickly stretched the hoses to douse the flames and dug a line around the area that was dangerously near a residence. Firefighters said the cause of the fire was a campfire that spread into the woods. It was a hot dry day, but fortunately, it was calm. Any gust of wind could have taken the flames and run with them to the top of the ridge.

For the next hour or so, the firefighters dug into the duff and drenched it with water, searching for hot spots or sparks. As the summer days scorch the grasses and downed tree limbs, the fire danger grows every day.

On Sunday morning, the NFPD firefighters responded to two separate abandoned campfire calls. Residents are asked to be observant during this hot, dry tourists and campers everywhere time.