Pre-Evacuation Warning Lifted After Lightning-Started Fire Near Cheyenne Mountain
Limited aerial suppression because of darkness and steep terrain kept crews on drones and the ground until authorities cleared the area.
Overview
- A wildfire began southwest of Cheyenne Mountain State Park near Rock Creek Canyon Road and prompted a 1.5-mile pre-evacuation warning that covered the area around 1350 Rock Creek Canyon Road.
- Officials issued the pre-evacuation notice overnight and used Peak Alerts and the ReachWell integration to notify residents to be ready to leave if conditions worsened.
- Multiple agencies responded with ground crews, U.S. Forest Service personnel, a Colorado Springs Fire Department drone, helicopters and a sky crane to monitor and stage suppression resources.
- Early size estimates varied as crews assessed the fire in darkness, with the Colorado Springs Fire Department reporting about five acres and other agencies finding roughly 1.5 acres before daylight observations clarified the extent.
- El Paso County lifted the pre-evacuation Wednesday afternoon and said it was safe to return while crews continue monitoring conditions and watching forecasted high winds and thunderstorms that could affect fire behavior.