Fire crews achieved 10% containment of the Wild Horse fire Monday afternoon as it burns on Fort Carson and west of Colorado 115 south of Colorado Springs, according to a news release from Aleah Castrejon, a spokeswoman for Fort Carson.

The fire prompted the three-hour closure of Colorado 115 Monday afternoon between mile markers 32 and 38 as of 12:45 p.m., the news release announced. Fort Carson crews used UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters in that area in an effort to keep the fire from jumping to the west side of the highway, prompting the temporary road closure, according to the news release.

Crews worked on the southern perimeter to put out hotspots, officials said. Helicopter bucket operations dumped water along CO-115 Monday.

The Wild Horse fire remained at 580 acres Monday afternoon, the news release stated. Officials expect the fire to remain active and smoke will be visible for the next few days. Aerial resources are expected to return Tuesday to resume bucket operations, the release noted.

Fire lines will continue to be built with Fort Carson crews Tuesday, officials said.

The blaze, which erupted Sunday evening, is burning about 20 miles south of downtown Colorado Springs near Fort Carson’s Gate 6. Smoke could be seen from Colorado Springs Sunday evening and after sunset, the fire’s glow was visible near Cheyenne Mountain. Gate 6 is near one of Fort Carson’s most-used training ranges, which includes an urban warfare simulator that covers the equivalent of several city blocks.

The fire started on the west side of the highway but jumped across the road because of gusty winds and began burning on the post in the training areas, Castrejon said. There is no threat to the main part of the base, she added.

Wild Horse Fire

Wild Horse Fire

Crews from Southwest Highway 115 fire station, Security, Colorado Springs, Cimarron Hills, CSU Utilities, U.S. Forest Service, Tri Lakes, Wescott, Palmer Lake and El Paso County Wildland were helping the Army fight the fire.

Castrejon said emergency departments were confident about the progress made so far to suppress the fire, including the use of the UH-60 Black Hawks. The choppers from Fort Carson’s 4th Combat Aviation brigade can carry buckets to dip water out of nearby ponds and dump it on the blaze.

CO-115, which connects Colorado Springs to Penrose, was closed for much of Sunday during the fire, forcing a lengthy detour for some to Interstate 25 and U.S. Highway 50. 

Residents of the Turkey Creek area were told to evacuate late Sunday and instructed to leave immediately, according to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. At about 8:45 a.m. Monday, all evacuation orders sent to 307 residents were lifted, Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Jacqueline Kirby said. 

Firefighters responding to the Incline fire burning on Pikes Peak near Manitou Springs reached 100% containment and was extinguished all hot spots Sunday. The fire is believed to be caused by arson, officials have said.

The popular Manitou Incline and Barr Trail, which closed while crews responded to the fire, are open as of Monday, as is the Barr Trail parking lot. The fire, which grew up to 3 to 5 acres at its peak, is expected to have minimal lasting environmental effects, as it was mostly low intensity and only burned leaf litter and grass, Dawn Sanchez, the spokeswoman for the fire department said.

“The area which experienced high intensity burn is not expected to impact the Barr Trail or cause any erosion issues,” Sanchez said.

Farther north, at the Cameron Peak fire, the state’s third largest fire burning west of Fort Collins in the Arapaho and Roosevelt national forests, firefighters continue to hone in containment with 47% reported as of Monday morning, according to inciweb.gov, an official fire website. The blaze had scorched 134,559 acres as of Monday.

Winds up to 50 mph could make firefighters attempt to protect structures and mop up more difficult Monday, officials said.

Mandatory evacuations for parts of Larimer County near CO-14 from Kelly Flats west to the Fish Hatchery were reduced to voluntary evacuations Sunday afternoon.

200-acre fire south of Colorado Springs prompts evacuation orders, closure of Highway 115