Winds thwart efforts to fight fire at Carson

Wind shifts erased the gains made Tuesday by firefighters at Fort Carson, who initially contained a grass fire by 50 percent before watching the high winds trigger the flames to full capacity about 3:30 p.m.

The flames were ignited from a spark from a lawn mower three miles south of Gate 6, near Camp Falcon, a youth camp just off Highway 115.

There was no threat of structural damage, said Jake Jacob, deputy director of Emergency Services with Fort Carson, who added that crews from the Colorado Springs and El Paso County fire departments were working in conjunction with firefighters from Fort Carson to squelch the 300-acre outbreak.

Highway 115 was shut down south of Gate 1 because of heavy smoke over the road and later reopened.

Also Tuesday, firefighters quickly put out a blaze that threatened the south eastern plains near Ellicott.

The fire, which was reportedly started by a lightning strike, spread through a field, burning 132 acres of a private ranch.

An Ellicott fireman reported the blaze at 2:30 p.m. By 3:45 p.m., the fire was fully contained, according to Ellicott Fire District Capt. Michael Henley.

Callers gave several locations for the blaze, leading firefighters to believe there were multiple starts.

The fire originated on the 27,800 block of Sanborn Road, east of North Ellicott Road. Up to 30 mph winds blew the blaze to the southwest.

Thirty-five firefighters were on the scene, drawing support from Falcon, Ellicott, Peyton, Schriever Air Force Base, the Air Force Academy and Pikes Peak Fire Rehab, said Henley.

Eight tankers, 10 brush trucks and two support vehicles were also used.