Campers from Alabama arrested for arson in Colo. wildfire

DENVER — Two campers from Alabama were arrested for arson in the Cold Springs Fire, according to the Boulder County Sheriff's Office.

The fire grew to more than 600 acres Sunday and forced almost 2,000 people to evacuate. Three homes were destroyed by the blaze, with the sheriff's office saying it expected that number to increase.

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Jimmy Suggs, 28, and Zackary Kuykendall, 26, of Vinemont, Ala., face charges for fourth-degree arson, according to the sheriff's office, and have been booked into the Boulder County Jail.

Investigators say they were able to determine that the origin of the fire was a campsite near the Peak-to-Peak Highway and Cold Springs Road.

Deputies say the suspects, along with a female friend who does not face charges, were camping on private property and lit a campfire overnight Thursday into Friday morning.

The sheriff's office says the men did not ensure the fire was property extinguished before they left, and that winds — combined with the hot and dry weather — allowed the campfire to keep smoldering.

The fire eventually spread through the campsite, starting the fire, which was first reported on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. MT.

The Colorado National Guard said more than 50 soldiers and airmen were fighting the fire and providing security.

Crews included those from two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and one CH-47 Chinook helicopter equipped with Bambi Buckets, and two fuel trucks.

The Guard was also sending additional people for traffic control.

Approximately 1,991 people were asked to leave their homes because of the wildfire, according to the Boulder County Office of Emergency Management. About 1,250 of those people were evacuated from areas north and west of Boulder Canyon and east of the Peak-to-Peak Highway on Saturday.

An additional 738 people were told to evacuate Sunday.

Follow Allison Sylte on Twitter: @AllisonSylte