A wildfire scorched more than 1,000 acres of dry, grassy terrain south of Franktown on Tuesday, forcing evacuations as gusty winds pushed flames toward nearby homes.
The Dahlberg fire was first reported near Dahlberg and Lake Gulch roads at 12:39 p.m., Douglas County sheriff’s officials said. The area is roughly 8 miles south of Franktown and 8 miles east of Larkspur.
Tinder-dry fuels, drought and winds up to 20 mph allowed the fire to grow quickly, county Emergency Management Director Mike Alexander said at a briefing.
Douglas County sheriff’s deputies began evacuating nearby homes immediately, Patrol Division Chief Joel White said. Deputies contacted 20 homes threatened by the fire, and 17 of those evacuated, he said.
The nearby Cherry Valley Elementary School was ordered to hold students in place and released them from school early so parents and guardians could pick up their children, White said. The school was fully evacuated as of 4 p.m.
Firefighters from across metro Denver, including an air tanker from Colorado Springs and a helicopter from Broomfield, responded to the scene and gained full containment on the 1,081-acre fire just before 5 p.m., sheriff’s officials said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation and no building or property damage was reported.
Dahlberg Road remained closed on Tuesday night for firefighting operations.
High winds also impacted operations at Denver International Airport on Tuesday, with the Federal Aviation Administration ordering a ground stop and airlines delaying 385 flights and canceling 25 flights as of 6 p.m.
Gusty winds are expected to return to the region on Wednesday, and most of the Front Range and Eastern Plains will be under a red flag warning for critical fire weather conditions from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Sustained winds up to 35 mph and gusts up to 50 mph are possible, forecasters said, and people should avoid outdoor burning and any activity that may produce a spark.
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