EL PASO COUNTY — The El Paso County Sheriff's Office said Sunday morning the Birdseye Fire was fully contained. It has burned more than 21 acres in Peyton.
Evacuated residents were allowed to return home starting at noon.
In an update posted on Twitter, the Sheriff's Office thanked all of the agencies who helped get control of the fire.
#BirdseyeFire
— EPCSheriff (@EPCSheriff) October 10, 2021
-100% contained.
-People who were evacuated can return to their homes at 12PM.
-An immense thank you to our partners,
(see list attached to this tweet) and of course, to our community for your support and for helping your neighbors. https://t.co/uk2NmQzVZ8 pic.twitter.com/mgQ7E8jlU6
Multiple people were evacuated Friday as well as some horses and dogs. The Patriot Learning Center served as a shelter for evacuees, and the Calhan Fairgrounds opened for animals.
The fire started at around 12:30 p.m. on Friday. It began as a structure fire and then moved into the treetops, but News 5 was told it is now back on the ground. At around 4 p.m. Friday the structure fire was out, but there was significant damage to it.
One firefighter suffered a minor injury while fighting the fire.
Multiple people have been evacuated to include horses & dogs. Mutual aid partners to include Elbert County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, Calhan PD &FD, State Patrol, Falcon FD, Cimarron Hills FD, Peyton FD, Colorado Springs FD are all on scene. https://t.co/OzRPOas4ld pic.twitter.com/m33Ifp2l0j
— EPCSheriff (@EPCSheriff) October 8, 2021
There were two small air tankers on the ground at the scene, and a helicopter was requested to help with hotspots.
Crews are watching the weather to decide if more evacuations are needed, they tell News 5 that a wind shift could affect the fire at a moment's notice.
More than a dozen agencies were on the scene including the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, Calhan Police and Fire Department, Falcon Fire Department, Cimarron Hills Fire Department, Peyton Fire Department, and the Colorado Springs Fire Department.
