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Emergency responders kept thousands on high alert Wednesday as the Waldo Canyon Fire raged on.

Meanwhile, some lingered and strolled through the tourist town of Manitou Springs.

Families there were forced to evacuate Sunday as the wildfires burning from the west got too close for comfort.

The tiny tourist town was deemed safe for return later that night.

And, although there was a noticeable decrease in the number of visitors Wednesday, business owners stood their ground and kept their doors open, looking for a revenue boost since sales dropped to nearly zero.

"Ninety-five percent!” Jill Solomon said. “I mean I've had very few people, I actually had a 50 percent off sale. I put it on Facebook - 50 percent off everything - just to kind of pay the rent, and I'm hoping this weekend will pick back up."

Hell's Kitchen Pizza is taking a head on approach to the devastation and keeping a positive attitude.

"We ran a wildfire special it's our specialty pizza."

Michael said with mother nature's unpredictability, sometimes the only choice you have is to roll with the punches.

"We're just making the best of it, you know, what can you do? Celebrate what you can, be glad for what you have and go with it - you just do what you can, and we're just trying to really turn around the spirits and in any way contribute to Manitou."

Although the winds picked up and the skies darkened above the town, tourist James Nicholls from Canada and 14 of his family members continued sightseeing as the eminent danger kept it's distance from the quaint town.

"Concern, yes, I mean it's not nice to see houses burning down, but we're staying way up on the northeast so there's no concerns about us being affected by it, other than we can't see some of the sites, but it's too bad to see the houses burning down" Nicholls added.

Colorado Springs resident Suzanne Patterson described the Waldo Canyon wildfires as awful, sad and scary, but is confident in this time of tragedy, the community will put it's best foot forward

"This won't hurt out community, it will just make us stronger, just like you know after 9/11 how the whole U.S. came together as one it will be the same for Colorado," she said.

Reporter: Daisy Martinez, Action 4 News