Two large wind-whipped grass fires in southeastern Colorado have burned thousands of acres as of Wednesday morning.
The Bent’s Fort fire, which started Tuesday, has burned about 2,200 acres and is 10% contained, the Otero County Sheriff’s Office said on Wednesday morning.
West Metro Fire rescue sent an engine and three firefighters to assist with the wildfires burning in Otero and Bent counties.
West Metro has an engine and three firefighters headed to Las Animas tonight to assist with multiple threatening wildfires in Bent and Otero County.
— WestMetroFire (@WestMetroFire)
A red flag warning for fire concerns is posted for widespread areas of the Eastern Plains until 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service, including in Otero and Bent counties. Winds gusting to 40 mph and dry weather, low relative humidity between 11 and 15 percent, prompted the warning. The same weather is driving the large grass fires.
The Bent’s Fort fire came extremely close to the fort, but , said La Junta Fire Chief Brad Davidson on Facebook.
“Just want to give an update about Bents Ol Fort,” Davidson said late Wednesday morning. “It is still standing and in great shape.”
The Fort Lyon fire is burning east of Las Animas, according to the Colorado Wildfire Information, a community-supported information hub. That , including one that was unoccupied.
The fire has burned about 2,600 acres as of Wednesday morning, . On Tuesday the entire town of Fort Lyon was evacuated as a safety precaution. Residents were allowed to return home at 1 a.m. Wednesday.
