DIVIDE, Colo.—A human-caused fire destroyed the house where it began and continued to burn Tuesday, pushed by strong winds, in a wooded subdivision in the central Colorado mountains where some 700 nearby homes have been evacuated, authorities said.
Some rain fell early Tuesday, helping to dampen the flames somewhat, Sheriff Jason Marksell in Teller County said. The fire has burned 166 acres (67 hectares) since it started Monday afternoon. It was 15% contained early Tuesday afternoon, he said.
Ground crews were aggressively protecting homes, other crews were using equipment to build fire lines and two single-engine air tankers began dropping water on the fire Tuesday morning in the Highland Lakes Subdivision northwest of the town of Divide, northwest of Colorado Springs. The homes are built on 1.25-acre (.5 hectare) lots, according to the Highland Lakes Property Owners Association….