Wildfire burns on Air Force Academy grounds
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV/Gray News) - Officials say the Air Force Academy will remain closed to the public Tuesday as crews fight a wildfire on its grounds.
Officials said the West Monument Creek Fire was 50% contained, as of 7:30 p.m. Monday. The academy will be only open Tuesday for Department of Defense ID cardholders, contractors and District 20 students, KKTV reports.
While some hot spots remained Monday afternoon, the fire was no longer spreading, according to the incident commander. Officials said a UH-60 Black Hawk and two CH-47 Chinook helicopters dropped more than 14,000 gallons of water on the fire, targeting hot spots.
Officials also said a pre-evacuation notice has been lifted for residents in Douglass Valley and Pine Valley housing.
The fire broke out early Sunday afternoon and quickly ballooned to 150 acres. Thick smoke could be seen for miles. Multiple agencies were called out to help Air Force Academy crews, including Colorado Spring Fire Department, Cimarron Hills FD and El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
“We appreciate the work and coordination with Colorado Springs Fire Department and the Forest Service in fighting this fire,” said Col. Dan Werner, 10th Air Base Wing deputy commander, in a press release to 11 News. “We will continue to watch the fire through the night, and work with our partners to contain and extinguish it to keep the Academy and our people safe.”
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