YUMA COUNTY, Colo. (KOAA) — Multiple fires were burning in eastern Colorado on Wednesday night, according to officials in Yuma County.
At about 9:30 p.m., the following was posted to the Yuma County Office of Emergency Management Facebook page:
"Attention Yuma County Residents:
Multiple fires are currently burning throughout the county, and strong winds may cause them to spread rapidly. If a fire is approaching your home, evacuate immediately. Use the highway to travel to the nearest town and turn on your vehicle’s hazard lights while driving. Please stay alert, follow emergency instructions, and prioritize your safety."
The county put out a call for help to farmers, asking if anyone had a tractor and disk ready to deploy to help out. Anyone with a tractor and disk who can help is asked to call 970-397-0431 for instructions on where you can help most.
Multiple shelters were opened and then closed. At 2 a.m. the Yuma County Office of Emergency Management posted if you need assistance with shelter, contact 970-630-3799.
Wildfire
Wildfire in Yuma County reaches about 40K acres, all others are contained
According to Scripps News Group in Denver, the only fire that was active as of 3 a.m. Thursday was in a rural area of the county, south of Eckley near the Heartstrong neighborhood. That fire has burned an estimated 40,000 acres as of 2:30 a.m. Thursday, according to Jake Rockwell, emergency manager for Yuma County Office of Emergency Management. Officials also told Scripps News Group Denver they believe downed power lines sparked the fires.
The following is a list of where the now-contained wildfires were reported as of 11 p.m. Wednesday, not including the one that is still active. Some of these were combined before they were controlled, according to Jake Rockwell, the emergency manager for Yuma County Office of Emergency Management.
- County Road 33 and County Road M
- County Road 48 and County Road F
- County Road 385 and County Road 44.5
- County Road 43 and County Road N
- County Road 44 and County Road Q
- County Road 49 and County Road Z
- County Road 20 and County Road U
- 10 miles west of Wray
- South of Joes, near County Road L and County Road 2
- County Road 44 and County Road Q
- County Road L and County Road 2
Speeding & Road Delays: Top Concerns Addressed
Residents in District 6 got answers to their public safety and construction questions at a recent town hall.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
