Wind Blows Decker Fire Smoke Into CO Springs; Other Pre-Evac Notice In Eastern El Paso County Lifted

Smoke from the Decker Fire burning in the Sangre de Christo Wilderness area moved into Colorado Springs Monday afternoon. The heavy smoke is also seen in Southern Douglas County.

A lot of people are seeing smoke in Southern Douglas County. The smoke is coming from the Decker Fire that is burning near Salida. There are no fires at this time in Douglas County. #deckerfire https://t.co/dReyWaKud0

— DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) September 30, 2019

Authorities say they are letting the Decker Fire burn through dry fuels for both ecological benefit and to help prevent a larger catastrophic fire in the future.

Meantime, there was a new fire start in Eastern El Paso County that prompted a pre-evacuation notice. That has since been lifted.

Much of Southern Colorado has been under a red flag warning, meaning that conditions are right—windy, low humidity, and dry fuels—for the start and spread of a wildfire. 

Credit National Weather Service

Near record high temperatures were anticipated by the National Weather Service in Pueblo, and as of 2:30 p.m., Colorado Springs reached 87 degrees, which broke its previous record of 86 degrees set in 2013.

A fire weather watch is added for Tuesday for the San Luis Valley and Chaffee and Lake Counties.