All of eastern Colorado was under a red flag warning for “critical” fire danger for much of Tuesday.
Although the warning has expired in the metro area, it remains in effect for the far eastern part of the state until 8 p.m.
The combination of dry conditions and high winds made “extreme fire behavior” possible, forecasters say.
Fire crews across the state were on high alert, many of them taking to social media to remind the public to use extra caution in wake of the conditions.
The Adams County Sheriff’s Office issued a level three burn restriction in unincorporated parts of the county until 6 p.m. when the red flag warning expires.
The restriction means all burning in those designated areas is banned.
“Our region is prime for fires and many have already occurred,” the Colorado Springs Fire Department said in a tweet.
The weather service’s Pueblo office said “any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.”
“Outdoor burning is not recommended,” the Pueblo office said.
The Douglas County Office of Emergency Management posted a photograph of a helicopter on standby on its Twitter account, saying also that a wildfire fighting crew has been notified of the danger.
“We’re preparing, are you?” they said in a tweet.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or
