COLORADO SPRINGS — The Waldo Canyon fire, which officials here called “very aggressive,” spread in three directions and displaced about 11,000 people from their homes as fires continued to burn statewide Sunday.
Nearly half that total — about 5,000 living in Manitou Springs — were allowed to return to their homes beginning at 8 p.m. Sunday. Mandatory evacuations remained in place for Cascade, Green Mountain Falls and Chipita Park.
Situated several miles west of Colorado Springs, the fire — which for many residents in this southern Colorado city became a spectacle — charred at least 2,500 acres and forced evacuations of about 4,000 homes in El Paso County.
“This is a day we’ve long dreaded would come,” Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach said at a news conference Sunday afternoon.
While officials reported no structural damage at the afternoon news conference, the fire remained at zero containment, with another acreage assessment slated for this morning.
Greg Heule, a public-information officer for the Waldo Canyon fire, said 450 firefighters from several agencies were working to contain it.
“The fire has been very, very active,” Heule said. “I anticipate quite a few more acres than what we currently have.”
A Type 1 incident command team, the highest classification for fire disasters, was requested by local fire officials and is expected to take over the operations at the fire as early as today.
Moreover, four specially equipped C-130 military transport planes — capable of dropping 3,000 gallons of fire retardant in less than five seconds — are slated to help with the fire.
Two of the aircraft will be provided by the 302nd Airlift Wing, Air Force Reserve, Peterson Air Force Base, and two by the 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard, Cheyenne.
Sulyn Wallace said she received a knock on her door at 2 a.m. from police telling her to evacuate.
“It’s just shocking. It’s really scary to see the smoke this close to home,” said Wallace, who has lived in Manitou for about 20 years and had never been evacuated.
Roy Byrne moved to Manitou Springs six months ago from Las Vegas.
“I’m not used to this fire stuff,” Byrne said. “I barely had any time to get my belongings and get out.”
Gov. John Hickenlooper met with fire officials and said more than half the nation’s fleet of firefighting resources is now in Colorado.
The fire began Saturday afternoon, and there was no information on what sparked it. In neighboring Teller County, arson is suspected as the cause of some wildfires.
When asked about the chance that arson may have been involved in the Waldo Canyon fire, Hickenlooper said: “It makes me crazy. I can’t even think straight.”
Officials with the Red Cross estimated that more than 200 people stayed at Cheyenne Mountain High School on Saturday night, with more expected to arrive Sunday.
Jeannie Jonack was evacuated from her Manitou home and sat next to a cot she had claimed in the school’s gymnasium.
“You never see fires this close to the city,” Jonack said. “I remember the smoke from the Hayman, which was nearby but not right on top of us like this one.”
At a morning briefing, Bach said, “We’re just really concerned about the speed at which this fire is spreading.”
“We’re hoping that with additional federalized resources in here we can make some progress on this the next couple of days,” Bach said.
Sunday night, an orange haze from the fire blanketed much of Colorado Springs.
Officials closed Cheyenne Canon Park, Palmer Park and Garden of the Gods as a precaution because of the high fire danger.
The Colorado Springs Fire Department reported flames from the Waldo Canyon fire as high as 100 feet Saturday night, moving a half-mile to a mile per hour.
The Penrose Equestrian Center was providing shelter for large animals evacuated from the fire area.
To the north in Douglas County, another small fire prompted some pre-evacuation notices Sunday.
The Trout Creek fire started after 2 p.m. about half a mile east of Highway 67 in Pike National Forest.
Fire officials sent out a pre-evacuation notice to 155 homes in West Creek and Trout Creek subdivisions.
The fire was estimated at about 25 acres Sunday afternoon, with full containment expected by nighttime.
There were 20 firefighters battling the fire, assisted by a helicopter and two single-engine air tankers.
Kurtis Lee: 303-954-1655, klee@denverpost.com or twitter.com/kurtisalee
11,000
Number of people evacuated at one point in Waldo Canyon fire
248
Homes destroyed in High Park fire
2012 Fires
Lower North Fork fire
Date started: March 22
Location: One mile east of Foxton
Acres: 4,140
Homes destroyed or damaged: 27
Casualties/injuries: Three homeowners died from smoke inhalation and exposure to flames.
Status: 100 percent contained April 2
Little Sand fire
Date started: May 13, still active
Location: 13 miles northwest of Pagosa Springs
Acres: 20,416 on Sunday afternoon
Homes destroyed or damaged: None
Firefighters working: 181 on Sunday afternoon
Casualties: None
Status: 31 percent contained Sunday afternoon
Hewlett fire
Date started: May 14
Location: North of Highway 14 in Poudre Canyon
Acres: 7,658
Homes destroyed or damaged: None
Casualties: None
Status: 100 percent contained May 22
Sunrise Mine fire
Date started: May 25
Location: Four miles north of Paradox
Acres: 5,742
Homes destroyed or damaged: None
Casualties/injuries: None
Status: 100 percent contained June 3
Springer fire
Date started: June 17
Location: Three miles from Lake George
Acres: 1,145
Homes destroyed or damaged: None
Casualties/injuries: Firefighters suffered three minor injuries
Status: 100 percent contained Saturday
High Park fire
Date started: June 9
Location: 15 miles west of Fort Collins
Acres: 83,205
Homes destroyed or damaged: 248 as of Sunday evening
Firefighters working: 1,923
Casualties/injuries: One casualty; two firefighters injured but not fire- related
Status: 45 percent Sunday afternoon
Woodland Heights fire
Date started: Saturday
Location: Estes Park
Acres: 27.3
Homes destroyed or damaged: 22
Firefighters working: Unknown
Casualties/injuries: None
Status:75 percent containment as of Sunday afternoon; 100 percent containment anticipated by Sunday night
Stateline fire
Date started: Saturday
Location: Durango, near the Colorado-New Mexico border
Acres: 350
Homes destroyed or damaged: One
Firefighters working: Unknown
Casualties/injuries: Two firefighters treated for smoke inhalation Saturday
Status: 15 percent containment as of Sunday afternoon
Treasure fire
Date started: Saturday
Location: Mosquito Peak, outside of Leadville
Acres: 300
Homes destroyed or damaged: None reported as of Sunday afternoon
Firefighters working: 62
Casualties/injuries: None
Status: Five percent containment as of Sunday afternoon
Waldo Canyon fire
Date started: Saturday
Location: Pike National Forest, El Paso County
Acres: 2,500
Homes destroyed or damaged: None
Firefighters working: 450
Casualties/injuries: None
Status: Zero containment as of Sunday afternoon
CR-102 fire
Date started: Sunday
Location: Near Elbert in El Paso County
Acres: 600
Homes destroyed or damaged: None
Casualties/injuries: None
Status: 90 percent contained by 4:50 p.m. Sunday
Trout Creek fire
Date started: Sunday
Location: Half a mile east of Highway 67
Acres: 15-20
Homes destroyed or damaged: None
Firefighters working: 20
Casualties/injuries: None
Status: Unknown containment as of Sunday evening
Sarah Simmons, The Denver Post
