Badger Creek Fire in Park County determined to be human-caused

PARK COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- Park County announced Thursday that Sheriff Tom McGraw will be pursuing criminal charges related to the Badger Creek Fire that burned 41 acres near Hartsel on Wednesday.

According to the county, the law enforcement investigation into the cause of the fire determined it was "the result of a homeowner's careless actions on their private property in violation of the local fire ban."

RELATED: Wildfire in Park County prompts evacuations

The fire spread quickly on Wednesday but the Hartsel Fire Protection District and other responding agencies were able to prevent to fire from destroying any structures. The County said the fire is now 100 percent contained but crews continue to mop up hot spots.

Mandatory evacuations were ordered Wednesday for residents living in a 5-mile radius of the Badger Creek Ranch area. Those remain under pre-evacuation Thursday and should continue to be ready to evacuate if necessary.

Park County remains in a Stage 1 Fire Ban until further notice.