People return home as the High Chateau Fire in Teller County becomes more contained

The High Chateau Fire is 75 percent contained with 1400 acres burned. The Fire began on Friday in Teller County, Northwest of Cripple Creek and just south of the Florissant Fossil Beds. While many are still not able to return to their homes, a few dozen were able to on Wednesday.

Six areas were placed back on pre-evacuation notice allowing homeowners to return. Chris Kjeldson who lives in the Deer mountain subdivision says he was overjoyed when he saw his house still standing. “It was awesome,” Kjeldson says, “to come around the corner and see just see it there after being gone since the weekend.”

Deer Mountain was one of the six subdivisions where people could return. The others are Park Ridge Ranch, Dove Valley, Ranch Resorts, Panoramas and B Lazy M Ranch. All located just east of Teller County Road One. Other locations closer to the fire are still under mandatory evacuations. Residents had to leave their homes Saturday night after mandatory evacuation orders were given. Some could see the smoke from their backyards.

While people were allowed back home, they can’t completely rest easy yet. They are still under a pre-evacuation notice, meaning they could be forced to leave if the fire gets out of control.

For the Bovard’s who also live in the Deer Mountain area, they say they are ready for the situation. They had to evacuate during the Waldo Canyon Fire back in 2012. “We had our cars packed, important papers we went down the list,” says Susan Bovard. “So it really did prepare us going through the Waldo Canyon Fire.”