BON CARBO, CO — A wildfire that is being called the Titan Fire (also known previously as the Freedom Heights Fire) is continuing to burn in the Bon Carbo area of Las Animas County Monday, just east of county road 51, according to the local fire authorities.
The Las Animas County Sheriff's Office lifted the evacuation orders that were in place on Friday at 3:00 p.m.
Those with questions are asked to call Joe Richards, the Las Animas County Emergency Manager at 719-680-9897.
The fire was transferred back to local authorities on Sunday night when the Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management team got the fire under full containment.
Friday and Saturday's weather conditions kept the fire from spreading.
Crews are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Previous Fire Details:
Those east of County Road 51 (CR 51.0), within a 10-mile radius, were under an evacuation order until Friday afternoon. This included Timber Canyon and Ponderosa Ridge. The west of CR 51.0, including the city of Trinidad, is not under an evacuation order at this time.
The Trinidad Community Center and the Aguilar Community Center, and the Las Animas County Fairgrounds were open for evacuees, according to Las Animas County officials.
The Las Animas County Fairgrounds welcomed large animals, but they needed to be attended by their owners at all times. Cats were welcome at Noah's Ark.
Residents are encouraged to register with the Las Animas County emergency notification system.
This fire was first discovered on Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m., according to the World Journal and Las Animas County officials. Multiple agencies are responding.
A total of 25 homes were evacuated, according to the Las Animas County Office of Emergency Management (OEM).
The fire is located just east of CR 51.0 in mountainous terrain at approximately 7,500 feet. The DFPC mapped the fire with multi-mission aircraft and is currently 928 acres in size.
The fire saw rain showers Thursday night which aided firefighters in their suppression efforts.
The Rocky Mountain Complex Incident Management (CIM) Team 1 assumed management of this fire, according to The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) on Friday morning. CIM thanked DFPC and local resources that previously managed the fire.
"Their good work has set us up to fully suppress this fire, while protecting homes, structures, critical infrastructure, and cultural and historical assets in the area," said Rocky Mountain CIM on the Titan Fire Information Facebook page. You can ask questions on the page as there will be operational and daily updates on the Titan Fire.
Primary fuels have consisted of Pinyon and Juniper, mixed with Ponderosa Pine. Fire behavior is expected to be mild with some tree torching on steeper slopes.
Firefighting aircraft will continue providing aerial support to crews on the ground if weather conditions allow. Additional resources including a helicopter, engines, and ground crews have been ordered and continue to arrive. A completed dozer line is keeping the fire in check on the northwest flank.
There is a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) in place over the Titan Fire. Wildfires are a no-fly zone for unauthorized aircraft, including drones.
"If you fly, we can't," said Rocky Mountain CIM.
San Isabel Electric is no longer requesting members near the Titan Fire to conserve electric usage.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information come in.
Editors Note: Google identifies the town of Bon Carbo as "Boncarbo", our crews on the scene have confirmed with local officials and residents that Bon Carbo is the correct pronunciation and spelling and how the town is addressed regionally.
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