KIOWA — A 370-acre fire destroyed four homes and five secondary structures, such as barns, outside this small town southeast of Castle Rock on Sunday.
Nearby residents were evacuated to the Elbert County fairgrounds, although many also went to Kiowa. County Commissioner Chris Richardson said 40 horses, five dogs and two cats were at the fairgrounds.
More than 30 crews had the flames 80 to 90 percent contained by about 3 p.m. Sunday, according to the county’s office of emergency management. No injuries or deaths had been reported. A couple of animals are on the loose.
Firefighters don’t know what started the fire, Franktown Fire Department spokeswoman Kim Spuhler said The flames started about 10:15 a.m.
Itap not unusual to see fires this time of year, with dry, hot and windy conditions. The sheriff’s office said winds were reaching 25-35 mph.
The area is used to fires. Some residents ran to help set animals free to avoid the flames while others put out hot spots.
This is the first fire in the area to burn down a structure this year, Richardson said.
Emergency management Director Alex Jakubowski said this fire’s location made it tricky because any minute wind could send the flames into trees. But he said crews managed to get on top of it quickly.
“It could have very easily gone bad,” he said.
Update March 5, 2018: Due to incorrect information from a source, the number of homes and barns burnt was wrong. Four homes and five barns were destroyed.