Woman killed, 8 residences destroyed at mobile home park
The wind-whipped fire that destroyed eight residences at a Colorado Springs mobile home park on Thursday killed a woman, according to the El Paso County Coroner’s Office.
The coroner’s office did not release the woman’s identity Friday or any other details.
Eight residences were destroyed and the Skylar Mobile Home Park, 3831 N. Cascade Ave., was evacuated because of the fast-moving fire.
Firefighters with the Colorado Springs Fire Department put out the fire at the mobile home park, which had spread rapidly from one residence to another, and the woman’s body was found at the scene.
On Friday investigators ruled the fire as “accidental” and that it was caused by “improper disposal of smoking materials.” The fire broke out in the home where the woman’s body was found.
It was one of several wildfires that broke out Thursday in Colorado Springs on a day with red flag warning for critical fire danger.
Akerman fire
The Akerman fire, a 30acre grass fire that burned through open space Thursday, brought heavy smoke and flames towering more than 50 feet high in the area of Akerman Drive and Summer Grace Street, according to the fire department.
It was declared 100% contained Thursday night.
The wildfire did not burn any homes, but it did burn up to fence lines, scorching some fences, and residents of the area were forced to evacuated on Thursday.
Firefighters stayed on scene overnight to monitor for hot spots.
Alturas Fire
The Alturas fire in Colorado Springs was 100% contained, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said on Friday afternoon. The fire had burned about 182 acres as of late Thursday, the Colorado Springs Fire Department reported.
The flames shut down the Colorado Springs Airport Thursday, but all operations have resumed to normal.
The Alturas fire was sparked by a catalytic converter of an El Paso County Sheriff’s Office cruiser, the sheriff’s office said at a news conference, according to Denver7. The fire started Thursday afternoon near South Powers Boulevard and Milton E. Proby Parkway and was pushed and fueled by strong winds, shutting down both directions of Powers Boulevard. Residents were ordered to evacuate immediately. The evacuations were lifted about 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
The afternoon fire also prompted the evacuation of the massive Amazon Fulfillment Center Warehouse on the southeast side of the city, said Lt. Pam Castro, a police spokeswoman. The center was evacuated about 4:15 p.m. Thursday as a precaution.
High Park
A wildfire burning about five miles west of Cripple Creek forced evacuations of area residents on Friday.
The High Park fire, which was reported at about 4:15 p.m. on Thursday, has burned about 846 acres, about a 1.3 square-mile area, fire officials said on Friday afternoon. About 120 people have been evacuated from the Lakemoor subdivision.
On Friday evening the evacuation order expanded to include Cripple Creek Ranches and the Mt. Pisgah area, according to the Teller County Sheriff’s Office. A shelter was set up at Cripple Creek High School and livestock can be sheltered at the Cripple Creek Fairgrounds.
The fire was burning mostly on Bureau of Land Management lands, and no structures were immediately threatened, the sheriff’s office said on Friday. Multiple fire fighting agencies, including the U.S. Forest Service, are working on the fire, with ground crews and air support from two helicopters. A large air tanker also made drops on the fire. No injuries have been reported.
As of Friday afternoon, the fire was 0% contained. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The blaze was burning mostly through pinyon, juniper and ponderosa pine, and grasslands.