COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The Bear Creek Fire that started as a brush fire just west of Colorado Springs on Thursday grew to 23 acres and is now 50% contained, said the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) in a Thursday night news conference.
CFSD announced that all of the mandatory evacuations ordered earlier Thursday afternoon that included 235 homes and hundreds of residents.
In an earlier tweet, the CSFD said grass and brush on fire in the area of Bear Creek Park was threatening nearby homes on Electra Drive and Nebula Court.
Evacuees were sent to Cheyenne Mountain High School.
The Colorado Springs Police Department said that North Cheyenne Canyon Park, Bear Creek Park and Red Rock Canyon are closed while crews continue to battle the fire overnight and into Friday morning.
Bear Creek Road between Gold Camp Road and Lower Gold Camp Road is also closed to traffic.
CSFD is asking all residents in the area of the fire to refrain from turning on sprinkler systems as crews work to fight the fire.
Multiple fire agencies from surrounding communities have joined in on firefighting efforts, CSFD said.
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