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Wild Horse Fire Jumps Across Highway 115, Now Burning On Fort Carson Army Base

(CBS4/CNN) - Firefighters are battling a wildfire that is burning in a training area of Fort Carson. The blaze, named the Wild Horse Fire, had burned 580 acres as of late Monday afternoon. The Wild Horse Fire doesn't currently threaten any people or property on the base, Fort Carson officials said in a statement.

Wild Horse Fire
(credit: Colorado Springs Fire Department)

The fire didn't start on the base. Fort Carson fire personnel believe the fire started on the west side of Colorado Highway 115 and, due to high winds, jumped the highway. Now it's burning in Fort Carson on the other side of the highway. Fort Carson covers 140,000 acres.

Fort Carson will be using UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters to prevent it from jumping back to the side it started on, Fort Carson Public Affairs Office said in a release Monday.

A portion of Highway 115 was to be partially closed for about three hours Monday afternoon to allow the helicopters to battle the blaze, according to the release.

Dry and windy conditions are keeping fire danger high on Monday. A Red Flag Warning is in effect until 6 p.m. on Monday for almost the entire Interstate 25 corridor in Colorado.

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(source: CBS)

Even warmer weather with more wind will develop for Tuesday and Wednesday, then cooler weather returns on Thursday.

(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. CNN contributed to this report.)

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