Update as of 11:00 a.m. on Sunday:
The USFS has reported that the fire is, in fact, 30% contained.
They report that smoke will still be visible throughout the day with scattered heat pockets, and drivers on Hwy 67 should remain cautious.
Update as of 8:00 a.m. on Sunday:
The United States Forest Service (USFS) has reported that the fire is still at 128 acres, with no further spreading, but containment is at 0% per the Incident Commander.
DCSO is reporting that the fire is 30% contained.
There were no additional evacuations overnight.
News5 is investigating the discrepancy in the containment numbers and will update this story as more information becomes available.
Update as of 8:40 p.m.:
The Turkey Track Fire is 30% contained. No buildings were damaged or threatened.
Previous coverage:
According to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, a forest fire is burning near the Turkey Track Shooting Range, close to Highway 67 and Rainbow Falls in southern Douglas County near the county line with Teller.
The fire began at 4:24 PM and, according to the last update, has been mapped to about 128 acres. At this time, there are no evacuations, but the shooters at the range and campers were removed from the area. Rainbow Falls Campground was evacuated.
There was 30% containment by 9 p.m. Saturday night, and the Douglas County Sheriff's Office is asking everyone to avoid the area. The Office of Emergency Management is working alongside the U.S. Forest Service and the Teller County Sheriff's Office.
According to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, the fire was possibly started at the shooting range. This fire is burning on Forest Service Land, and a helicopter is on scene to fight the fire. No buildings are being threatened at this time.
Multiple agencies are responding, including Douglas and Teller Counties and the
U.S. Forest Service. The cause has been determined to be human.
Other fires have broken out at the same shooting range in the past. A Red Flag Warning was in effect in the area through most of the day and ended at 8 p.m.
News5 has a crew at the scene, and this article will be updated as we learn more.
Custer, El Paso, Fremont, and Teller Counties use Everbridge to reach community members during an emergency. To sign up in Custer and Fremont Counties, click here. To sign up in El Paso and Teller Counties, click here.
The 911 authority says that a new partnership with the ReachWell app will allow Peak Alerts to integrate seamlessly and allow for 130 different
language translations. Reachwell does not require users to make an additional account or personal information to receive the alerts.
Once you have downloaded the ReachWell app follow these steps to get Peak Alerts through the App:
1. Download the ReachWell App wherever you download apps or visit rwell.us/ElPasoCO and accept push notifications
2. Select Preferred Language
3. Add Peak Alerts
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A family in Colorado City says illegal dumping near their home is becoming a safety issue
One official told News5 the trash piles could be infested with rats or other dangerous factors, so they are waiting to work with the health department to remove trash from the area.
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