DENVER — More than 100 fires, most of which were ignited by fireworks, damaged or destroyed at least 10 structures and injured at least five people in the Denver metro area over the July 4th holiday.
In Denver, firefighters responded to multiple structure fires over the holiday that damaged at least four homes and displaced at least four families.
A structure fire, the cause of which is still under investigation, broke out Thursday night near E. 52nd Avenue and Altura Street in the city’s Montbello neighborhood.
— Denver Fire Department (@Denver_Fire) July 5, 2024
That fire spread to an adjacent home, heavily damaging both structures. No injuries were reported.
The following day, a fire damaged two homes near W. Alamo Drive and S. Harlan Street in Denver's Grant Ranch neighborhood, displacing two families.
Neighbors told Denver7 that a family of three lives in one of the homes and were away at the time of the fire. The owner of the second home was able to escape.
"It was a very sad sight for all of our friends, very traumatic," said neighbor Beth Escobar.
Friends have launched a fundraiser for one of the families and a GoFundMe campaign to help the second family.
"These families are so loved in our community, and we are a family in this community. We’ve really tried to step up and do what we can for them," said neighbor Jenny Cuddie.
No injuries were reported, and the cause is still under investigation.
South Metro Fire Rescue, which covers about 300 square miles of Arapahoe, Douglas and Jefferson counties, said crews responded to 45 fires between 6 p.m. and midnight on July 4.
The fire department added that one adult was seriously injured, and one child had minor injuries from two separate incidents involving fireworks.
One of the incidents they responded to was a grass fire near the east entrance to Cherry Creek State Park by 8:30 p.m. Thursday, the fire was contained to about a quarter of an acre.
Crews from West Metro Fire Rescue, which serves the communities of Lakewood, Morrison, Golden, Wheat Ridge and Edgewater, responded to 29 fires between 6 p.m. Thursday and 2 a.m. Friday.
In a social media post on X, West Metro Fire officials said one of the calls crews responded to involved a structure fire. They said the family “improperly disposed of spent fireworks” by throwing them in a trash can in the garage. That fire caused minor damage.
North Metro Fire, which serves thousands in Broomfield, Northglenn, and areas of Adams, Boulder, Jefferson, and Weld counties, said its crews responded to 22 fires caused by fireworks Thursday night.
North Metro Fire said at least one home was damaged by a blaze sparked by a fireworks display in Broomfield on Thursday. No injuries were reported.
In Aurora, four units were damaged after a fire broke out at an apartment complex Thursday evening.
The fire at Landon Park Apartments in the 100 block of S. Sable Boulevard led to one person with minor injuries and displaced several people.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Fire conditions remain high around the Front Range as temperatures climb and humidity levels drop.
"With the grass starting to dry out on the Front Range, and the monsoon moisture hasn't quite hit, meaning the grass is ready to burn, the fires can rapidly grow if the wind and the terrain align," said Captain Aaron Johnson of West Metro Fire Rescue.
A red flag warning is in effect for the South Park area from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. Wind gusts up to 30 mph are expected in the region, and relative humidity levels will drop to as low as 12%.
Not every 4th of July incident crews responded to involved a fire. Police in Commerce City are looking for a driver who they said intentionally ran down two men during a fireworks show Thursday.
Police said the two victims were targeted as they walked through a field in the 7000 block of E. 64th Avenue to watch the fireworks display. Both men sustained serious injuries.
