NCAR Fire is 100% contained, according to Boulder fire crews

Crews fully contained the NCAR Fire in Boulder on Thursday, capping the fire’s burn area at 190 acres. The small wildfire burned southwest of the city’s Table Mesa neighborhood, near the National Center for Atmospheric Research. 

“Please note: 100% containment does not mean that the fire is completely ‘out,’” said Boulder Fire-Rescue. “There may be interior portions of the fire that are still smoldering and smoke may still be visible.”

Officials reported no injuries or damage to buildings due to the fire, which ignited Saturday during unseasonably warm weather and dry conditions. It initially forced thousands of people to flee their homes, but most evacuation orders were lifted within 48 hours. 

A few hiking trails within the burn zone remain closed. But the city’s Open Space and Mountain Parks department opened many surrounding paths this week as containment improved. 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office is asking for information from anyone who was hiking south of the NCAR facility around the time the fire started.