This story was updated at 8:00 p.m.
The community of Louviers was placed under an evacuation order for several hours Sunday afternoon and evening due to a fast-moving brush fire west of US 85 in Douglas County.
The blaze, which spotted into multiple small fires, broke out south of Chatfield State Park and between Highway 85 on the east and Waterton Road on the west Sunday afternoon, according to authorities. The fire burned just north of the small town of Louviers.
Before 8 p.m., South Metro Fire Rescue reported that the fire's forward progress had been stopped and the Douglas County Sheriff's Office lifted the evacuation order at about 7:30 p.m. Two helicopters were being used to drop water on the flames until nightfall, and crews were to remain on scene overnight to monitor and extinguish hot spots.
No buildings were reported damaged, nor were any injuries reported by Sunday evening.
The state park had briefly evacuated parking lots near the Plum Creek nature area, Plum Creek picnic area and Roxborough Cove on the southeast side near the park boundary Sunday afternoon. But it was not immediately clear whether fire was ever in the park itself. The latter two lots were quickly re-opened but the Plum Creek nature area lot remained closed into the evening.
There were tense moments in the late afternoon as South Metro Fire Rescue was working the fire well south of Chatfield from the ground, while a helicopter dropped water from above. The department reported on X at about 5:30 p.m. that bulldozers were digging a fire line to prevent further spread.
The area on fire was brush and grass with some trees near railroad tracks. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Louviers is a town of fewer than 300 people. An evacuation center was set up at the Douglas County Fairgrounds by the American Red Cross.
This is breaking story and will be updated.
