(Updated 12:30 p.m.) Fire Burning Near Wenas Lake Started Early Friday Morning

Firefighters have contained the Cottonwood Fire burning off of Sheep Company Road and mop up operations are underway according to the Department of Natural Resources. Spokesman Joe Smiley says the 30 acre fire started early this morning. The 500 acre Wenas Lake Fire is more than 40 percent contained with firefighters still battling the flames. Smiley says they're investigating to see if the fires were intentionally set. "That's something we're investigating since they started at odd hours. That's something we'll be looking at very close."
Smiley says some homes near the Wenas Lake Fire were threatened but no structures burned. He says local and state fire crews are working on the Cottonwood Fire hoping for more containment later Today.

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Firefighters say the fire is now at 500 acres with 20 percent containment.

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Firefighters are busy with a brush fire near Wenas Road and Longmire Lane. the fire started just after 2:00 a.m. Friday morning. So far the fire has burned more than 150 acres and is 0% contained.

Level one evacuations are in order for a number of homes threatened by the fire.

No word on what started the fire.