Interstate 70 was closed for several hours through Idaho Springs on May 23 after a small blaze started on the south side of the highway.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but Idaho Springs police officer Dave Hemingway it may have been related to the remnants of a campfire found in the area.
The fire burned an old structure and several trees before being extinguished, and flames could be seen from the city.
It was located between the two eastern Idaho Springs exits.
According to Clear Creek Deputy Fire Chief Mark Abrahamson, the recent wet weather aided firefighting efforts and may have kept the blaze from becoming much worse.
“Due to the weather that we’ve had recently, it didn’t spread any further than it did,” Abrahamson said. “We’re incredibly lucky that we’ve had the moisture that we’ve had, because this fire during a dry period definitely would have been a much more difficult situation for us.”
According to witnesses, the fire started about 1:20 p.m.
It burned an area about 75 feet by 100 feet that contained part of a structure and some trees. Firefighters had the blaze contained about 2 p.m.
“We were able to get on it quick. … The crews did a great job, and all the agencies: the Sheriff’s (Office), the Idaho Springs Police Department, the fire authority, the ambulance and CDOT — we all jumped in there and … and got it knocked down quick.”
No injuries were reported.

Contact Ian Neligh at courant
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