Shelly Bradbury – The Denver Post
A wildfire forced evacuations in El Paso County just east of Colorado Springs Sunday, according to the sheriff’s office.
Residents on Preble Drive and Boreal Drive in Cimarron Hills were ordered to evacuate around 4 p.m. Sunday. The evacuation area covers about 70 homes, according to a map shared by the sheriff’s office. Firefighters hope to lift the mandatory evacuation order by 6:30 p.m., according to the Cimarron Hills Fire Department.
The fire was reported at 2:50 p.m. burned about 10 acres and was 25% contained by 5:30 p.m., according to the fire department.
All other residents within a two-mile radius of the intersection of Peterson Road and Galley Road in Cimarron Hills were initially put on pre-evacuation notice, but that was later lifted.
The fire involved “heavy fuels” and “heavy smoke,” according to the Colorado Springs Fire Department, which was assisting. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The area was under a red flag warning — with forecasters warning of dangerous fire conditions — because of high wind and low humidity. The National Weather Service at Boulder warned any outdoor fires could quickly spread under the dry conditions Sunday.
Wildfire map
Click markers for details, use buttons to change what wildfires are shown. Map data is automatically updated by government agencies and could lag real-time events. Incident types are numbered 1-5 — a type 1 incident is a large, complex wildfire affecting people and critical infrastructure, a type 5 incident is a small wildfire with few personnel involved. Find more information about incident types at the bottom of this page.
