Colorado Springs Airport Lifts Shelter In Place, Crews Get Upperhand On 200-Acre Wildfire

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4)- A shelter in place for the Colorado Springs Airport was issued, along with mandatory evacuations ordered Thursday afternoon for people living near a fire burning in the area of 5000 Alturas Drive in Colorado Springs. It was one of three grass fires that forced evacuations on Thursday.

The fire burning near the airport burned about 200 acres. Crews said they were gaining the upper hand on the fire around 7 p.m.

All evacuations were lifted for that fire and the airport resumed operations. That fire was started by sparks from an El Paso County deputy's cruiser that sparked some brush.

Earlier in the day, the Colorado Springs Airport tweeted that there was a shelter in place for those inside the airport due to the wildfire. That shelter in place was lifted before 7 p.m.

All inbound operations had ceased for a time during the firefight. Passengers were urged to contact their airline regarding flight status.

The El Paso County Sheriff's Office tweeted mandatory evacuations for those living south of Milton E Proby Parkway, east of Hancock Express Way, north of Bradley Rd/Alturas Dr, and west of Peak Innovation Parkway. They also issued a mandatory evacuation order for the area east of Powers and west of Peak Innovation Way, and northeast of the S-curve on Powers to Milton Proby Blvd.

Firefighters in Colorado Springs also evacuated students from two schools because of another grass fire earlier in the day.

People evacuated 500 homes in the Stetson Hills neighborhood. That fire burned about 25 acres. Another fire burned eight mobile homes in the Skylark neighborhood. That evacuation order for the mobile home park will remain in effect at least overnight.