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Evacuation orders have been issued for about 100 homes in the mountains west of Denver, as two separate wildfires have burned more than 700 acres on steep, rugged terrain. Strong winds and warm, dry weather on Monday were hindering firefighters trying to keep flames from a subdivision containing about 250 homes west of Golden. A small grass fire burning in the mountains roughly 20 miles southwest of Golden and near Evergreen is threatening 25 homes. Officials have asked people there to leave their homes. Officials say winds gusting to 25 mph were causing firefighters to retreat off and on. The Jefferson County sheriff's office says more homes might have to be evacuated and have told people in up to 700 houses to be ready to leave. It's not known how the fires started.
Governor Sam Brownback declared a State of Disaster Emergency Declaration today because of a large wildfire in Stanton County which has burned an area of approximately 60 square miles or 38,400 acres and was threatening Johnson City and the City of Manter. The Stanton County Emergency Management director notified the Kansas Division of Emergency Management that mutual aid had been requested and received from several nearby counties including Grant, Hamilton, Morton, and Stevens as well as counties in Colorado. 40 mph winds from the southwest fueled the fire. After responders battled the fire much of the afternoon, the county emergency manager reported the fire threat was reduced and some mutual aid assistance was deactivated shortly after 5 p.m. The fire threat to Johnson City and the City of Manter also was removed. Although state assistance has not been requested at this time, the declaration activates the disaster response and recovery portions of the Kansas Response Plan, authorizing state resources and funds to expedite emergency assistance statewide, should it be necessary. The Kansas Division of Emergency Management recommends Kansans closely monitor weather conditions, check the fire danger index and use appropriate fire precautions.