Colorado Politics

Douglas County Turkey Track fire 45% contained, stays steady at 128 acres

A 128-acre Turkey Track fire burning in western Douglas County near the Teller County line was 45% contained as of 5:45 p.m. Sunday, according to U.S. Forest Service officials and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

No structures were threatened while campers were ordered to evacuate. The fire continues to burn on U.S. Forest Service land eight miles north of Woodland Park, according to updates from the Pike-San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands.

The fire was first reported around 4:30 p.m. Saturday when Douglas County Sheriff’s Office emergency responders noticed smoke in the area. Red Flag fire warnings were in effect all day Saturday, with a new round of warnings in effect until 8 p.m. Sunday.

A day later, as of 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, the fire remains at 45% containment.

U.S. Forest Service officials first reported the fire’s size at 150 acres, then updated its estimation to about 128 acres around 8 p.m.

“Today, crews will continue to strengthen firelines and mop up hotspots near those lines,” U.S. Forest Service officials said Sunday.

“Another day of Red Flag conditions forecasted for today will test the firelines and the Incident Commander will revaluate the containment later this afternoon,” officials said. “Rain turning to snow is forecasted for the area, however, we ask people to remain vigilant with anything that can start a fire today.”

Engines from the U.S. Forest Service, Teller, and Douglas County responded to the blaze, including one small hand crew and engines from the Colorado Department of Fire Prevention and Control and a helicopter on standby.

The Turkey Tracks shooting area is closed Sunday because of firefighter and public safety, according to authorities.

“The fire grew very aggressively,” Luke Roberts, an Emergency Services Unit services at the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, said in a post on social media.

“The biggest concern is Highway 67,” Roberts said. “Our concern is that it would cross and get on the east side where there are some campers in Rainbow Falls … Luckily, the fire didn’t cross the road and we had preliminary evacuations in place.”

Red Flag fire warnings remain in effect for a large swath of the state’s southern region, including El Paso, Teller, Fremont, Pueblo and Park counties Sunday.

The Turkey Track fire cause is believed to be human-caused and remains under investigation.

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