Evacuation orders were lifted for homes near Colorado Springs after a ‘rapidly growing fire’ was contained on Monday, according to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
Mandatory evacuations were issued shortly after 3 p.m. Monday for homes on Passing Sky Drive, and road closures were in effect for Bradley Road, Grinnell Boulevard and Goldfield Drive, . The evacuations and closures were less than an hour later.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but a “loud lightning strike” was reported in the area shortly before the flames were spotted, .
Fire department officials said the flames were burning in a field east of Grinnell Boulevard, on the north side of Fountain Valley School. Weather rolling through the area brought “very erratic winds,” causing “unpredictable fire spread,” agency officials said.
The fire was contained to roughly 40 acres, according to the fire department.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
