AURORA | Firefighters say homeless campers inadvertently set off a fast-moving grass fire in northeast Aurora Wednesday that burned 8.5 acres before firefighters extinguished it, city fire officials said.
The fire was reported in an open field at about 12:30 p.m. near the 2200 block Himalaya Road after a fire engine traveling on I-70 spotted smoke in an open space south of a nearby building, Aurora Fire and Rescue spokesperson Eric Hurst said in a statement.
“With a red flag warning in effect, AFR had two brush trucks staffed with additional firefighters, and they responded along with other units to the fire,” Hurst said. “Investigators determined the fire was accidentally started by people cooking at an encampment in the area.”…