News
Bent County fire grows but is 90 percent contained
Posted: Apr 13, 2011 5:09 PM by Greg Boyce
Updated: Apr 14, 2011 12:09 PM
FORT LYON, Colo. (AP) - A wildfire in southeast Colorado has spread to nearly 22 square miles, but it is about 90 percent contained after drops of water and fire retardant from the air and work by ground crews.
A single-engine airplane dumped water and an air tanker made several drops of fire retardant on the wildfire near Las Animas, about 85 miles east of Denver. Crews used controlled burns Tuesday night to reduce the fuels and direct the flames from buildings. Bent County sheriff's acting spokesman Chris Sorensen says the calm, more humid weather today helped the 100 firefighters make progress.
The fire started Saturday and was spread quickly by high winds. A barn and another building were damaged, but no homes have burned. It's not known how the fire started.
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