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Firefighters 'finally able to go on offense' at Colorado's largest wildfire; 2 others burn nearby

Firefighters 'finally able to go on offense' at Colorado's largest wildfire; 2 others burn nearby
Posted at 3:42 PM, Oct 20, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-20 17:42:20-04

BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. -- The largest wildfire on record in Colorado is only 51 percent contained Tuesday, although firefighters say they were finally able to “go on the offense” battling the blaze this week.

The Cameron Peak Fire is more than 200,000 acres in size. It started August 13 and is burning northwest of Denver in the mountains. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

A Red Flag Warning starts Wednesday, as dry and windy weather persists.

The weather is also hampering efforts to control two new wildfires burning in Boulder County, north of Denver. Both started over the weekend.

The Calwood Fire is under 10,000 acres and is about 17 percent contained. The Lefthand Canyon Fire is 470 acres and 4 percent contained. The cause of both fires is still under investigation.

Because of their proximity to residential areas, thousands are evacuated due to these two wildfires. More than two dozen structures have been destroyed by the Calwood Fire already.