Colorado prison evacuated as wildfire grows into one of largest in state history
Meeker, colo. – A Colorado prison was evacuated while one of the largest forest fires in state history continued to grow, and those responsible have warned residents of the remote areas to be ready to leave on Sunday while the winds and wet in low mood nourish the flames.
The evacuation orders were already in place for mountain communities while the Lee Fire has charred more than 167 square miles (433 square kilometers) in the counties of Garfield and Rio Blanco, with only 6% confinement. No injury or structural damage has been reported.
The 179 people imprisoned were safely withdrawn from the Correctional Center for Rifles on Saturday “by abundance of prudence,” said the Correctional Services Department of Colorado in a press release. They were temporarily moved to around 150 miles (240 kilometers) in the Buena Vista correctional complex, the ministry said.
Lee’s fire, leaving the trees and brushes at around 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Denver, is now the sixth unique fire in the history of the state, according to the division of the prevention and control of the Colorado fires.
More than a thousand firefighters are fighting against the fire, working to keep the flames west of Colorado 13 and north of County Road 5, officials said.
Health managers have issued air quality warnings linked to the smoke of Lee fire and 23 square miles (60 square kilometers) burning just to the east.
In southern California, the crews reached 62% confinement on the fire of canyon at 8 square miles (20 square kilometers) which forced evacuations and destroyed seven structures after having broken out Thursday near the line of the County of Los Angeles and the county of Ventura. Three firefighters were injured, including a battalion chief who was seriously injured when his van overturned on steep land.
The largest fire of Gifford Fire, the largest fire in California, burned at least 180 square miles (466 square kilometers) of the counties of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo since the burst on August 1. It was 21% contained on Sunday.
