BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Two wildfires in Boulder County threatened
the homes of at least 1,700 people Friday, prompting evacuations in
the city of Boulder and the neighboring foothills.

Three subdivisions in the foothills were evacuated Friday
morning shortly after the wildfires were first reported, and
authorities issued emergency phone calls to 181 numbers. Officials
later ordered evacuations for a portion of Boulder’s west side.
Public buildings including a senior center, a court house and two
medical buildings were also evacuated.

Boulder County sheriff’s Cmdr. Rick Brough said about 100
firefighters and two air tankers were trying to contain the blazes,
which grew to about 134 acres by Friday afternoon.

He said the evacuations have been more precautionary than
anything else because heavy winds prompted fears the fire could
quickly spread. He said currently no homes were immediately
threatened and the wind has died down.

“We still have concerns, though, if the wind picks up,” he
said.

He said investigators believe the second fire was started by
embers from the first fire, but it’s unknown how the first fire
started.

A city evacuation alert to his cell phone was enough to send
49-year-old engineer Joe Paulson back to his two-story house in the
evacuation area. He threw papers and photos in a suitcase while
friends helped remove his five bicycles.

“I just started grabbing stuff and flinging it,” Paulson said.
“I’ll wait to panic later.”

Third grade teacher Kalan Orobona, 28, raced home after getting
a call from his brother at school. His wife had already left with
their dog but Orobona stayed behind to rake leaves away from the
house.

“I had to leave the kids behind for the Halloween party,” said
Orobona, who said a student teacher took over his class.

An air tanker buzzed over the neighborhood as Orobona raked
leaves in his flip-flops and officers went door to door as
neighbors packed up their cars.

The fires, burning on about 20 acres on public open space land,
are closer to the city than the wildfire that destroyed more than
160 houses in the foothills last month. That fire was the most
destructive in Colorado history in terms of property damage.

Besides the single-engine air tanker dropping fire retardant,
about 60 firefighters were trying to contain Friday’s blaze. Brough
said officials were asking for additional resources.

Fire officials said the blaze isn’t as dangerous as the
September wildfire that burned 10 square miles, because of the
calmer winds.

“A lot’s going to depend on the weather at this point,” Brough
said. There were no immediate reports of power outages, injuries or
damage to buildings, he said.

The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for the
area until 6 p.m., meaning critical fire conditions exist. The
weather service said wind gusts of up to 40 mph were possible.

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Associated Press writers Ivan Moreno and Kristen Wyatt in Denver
contributed to this report.