Colorado wildfire roundup: New fires reported in Elbert, Las Animas and Huerfano counties
Thousands of firefighters continue to battle several large wildfires in Colorado, forcing some residents in a growing number of counties across the state to find alternative shelter amid evacuation orders in effect on Wednesday.
Some crews battling the 96,089-acre Aspen Acres fire in Custer and Pueblo counties departed several miles south of Colorado City to a 5-acre fire ignited in Huerfano County around 9:30 a.m.
In El Paso County, a pre-evacuation order was issued overnight and later lifted on Wednesday afternoon after a new fire was ignited naturally near Cheyenne Mountain, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. The Rock Creek fire was reported at 1.5 acres with 30% containment by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office around 3 p.m.
Visitors to Cheyenne Mountain State Park were encouraged to avoid trails south of the entrance along Colorado 115 “until further notice” by the Colorado Springs Fire Department, according to a social media post by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Elsewhere, fires ignited in Las Animas and Elbert counties on Wednesday.
The Broken Tire fire began around 20 miles southwest of Trinidad and was reported at 2 acres around 3 p.m., according to the NIFC. Meanwhile, the 178 fire was stopped shortly after it began around 10 miles north of Kiowa at 75 acres, according to Watch Duty.
Further west, evacuations expanded as two fires continued to grow their perimeters to over 90,000 combined acres on Wednesday. In Dolores County, the Ferris fire forced more residents to evacuate as it has grown to 60,104 acres with 19% containment mostly within the San Juan National Forest.
Evacuation orders for the 31,470-acre Gold Mountain fire remain in effect across parts of Gunnison, Montrose and Ouray counties on Wednesday as crews gained 8% containment.
The Willow fire is the only additional fire in Colorado that is forcing residents to leave their homes. Nearly all of western Lake County is under an evacuation or pre-evacuation order as it grew to 4,363 acres with 16% containment, according to officials.