FRANKTOWN, Colo.—Another wildfire has broken out in eastern Colorado and about 8,500 homes are under evacuation orders on the plains about 35 miles southeast of Denver.
Authorities say they’ve ordered evacuations for homes within a four-mile radius of the fire near Franktown. They say the fire started on four acres Thursday afternoon in a wooded area and is being driven by winds of 30 mph and stronger.
Smoke from the fire is visible from south Denver suburbs and a helicopter is dropping water on the blaze.
A Red Cross evacuation point has been set up at the Douglas County fairgrounds. Several agencies are fighting the fire.
Crews are still trying to contain a roughly 2-square-mile wildfire in the foothills west of Golden. Much of the area in the foothills on the east side of the Rockies, including metro Denver, is at high fire danger.
