A new round of evacuation orders were issued Sunday for the Decker fire, as fast-moving flames swept near two small towns south of Salida.

The towns of Wellsville and Swissdale were ordered to evacuate, said Penny Bertram, a spokeswoman for crews battling the Decker fire.

Also nearly under evacuation were people in the Bear Creek area along Chaffee County County Road 101 and Fremont County Road 49, as well as residents on Silverheels Road and the two houses on a private drive west just west of Silverheels.

The mandatory evacuation orders came as fire conditions worsened Sunday. A large tanker was ordered to drop retardant ahead of the flames, but only if winds died down long enough to allow for a flight.

“It’s moving fast,” Bertram said. “They are just taking extreme measures to do whatever they can” to fight the blaze.

A red flag warning for “critical” fire conditions was issued by the National Weather Service on Sunday, as gusty winds, low humidity and warm temperatures swept across the fire line. Gusts were expected to range from 35 to 40 mph across the burn area throughout the day and early evening, fire officials said.

The Decker fire, which was sparked by lightning on Sept. 8, has since chewed through 8,118 acres during its seven-mile march north across the northern Sangre de Cristo mountains. More than 750 firefighters have been assigned to the blaze, which is about two miles south of Salida.