The Latest: Wildfire destroys 5 homes in southern Colorado | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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The Latest: Wildfire destroys 5 homes in southern Colorado

This image provided by the National Weather Service shows a false-color image made by a NOAA geostationary (GOES) satellite, showing a long plume of smoke and dust from wildfires in Colorado Tuesday, April 17, 2018. The plume is heaviest in the San Luis Valley in the southern part of the state, bottom, trailing off more than 300 miles (480 kilometers) to the northeast to the Nebraska border. Fire crews are fighting five new wind-swept wildfires around Colorado as hurricane-force winds also kick up dust, topple trucks and close highways in the state. (National Weather Service via AP)
Original Publication Date April 17, 2018 - 10:06 AM

DENVER - The Latest on wildfires in the Great Plains and the West (all times local):

8:20 p.m.

A wildfire whipped by winds that reached 60 mph (96 kph) destroyed five homes and several outbuildings in southern Colorado.

The Pueblo Chieftain reports the fire started east of the city on Tuesday afternoon and forced more than 200 families from their homes. No injuries were reported, and the fire had slowed by late afternoon.

Pueblo County sheriff's deputies and other officers went door to door to warn residents to get out, and gusty winds were expected to continue into the night.

Meanwhile, El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder tells The Gazette that another wildfire burned at least 10 buildings close to Interstate 25 near Colorado Springs. A sheriff's patrol car also went up in flames.

Emergency crews across Colorado struggled as hurricane-force winds also kicked up dust, toppled trucks and closed highways.

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12 p.m.

A U.S. Forest Service commander at one of two large wildfires in Oklahoma has warned firefighters to be careful as forecasters warn of dangerous, life-threatening wildfires in parts of the Southwest and Southern Plains.

Deb Beard on Tuesday said the forecast should "scare the hell out" of the firefighters in the area where fires have already killed at least two people and injured nine others.

The Storm Prediction Center says gusty winds and low humidity in drought-stricken areas will create dangerous fire conditions in parts of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. National Weather Service meteorologist Doug Speheger says such conditions haven't been seen in at least a decade.

In Oklahoma, temperatures are expected to soar into the 90s and winds could gust to 40 mph (65 kph) or higher.

The largest of the Oklahoma fires has burned more than 384 square miles (994 sq. kilometres).

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6:26 a.m.

Forecasters are warning of dangerous, life-threatening wildfire conditions in parts of the Southwest and Southern Plains on Tuesday as firefighters in rural Oklahoma battle blazes that have killed at least two people.

The Storm Prediction Center says gusty winds and low humidity in drought-stricken areas will create dangerous fire conditions in parts of Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. National Weather Service meteorologist Doug Speheger says such conditions haven't been seen in at least a decade.

In Oklahoma, temperatures are expected to soar into the 90s and winds could gust to 40 mph (65 kph) or higher. Officials say two people have died in the fires there and nine others have been injured.

The largest of the Oklahoma fires has burned more than 384 square miles (994 sq. kilometres).

News from © The Associated Press, 2018
The Associated Press

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