COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Firefighters in Colorado Springs are responding to two fires in the city and officials have issued evacuation orders.
One of the fires — called the Akerman Fire — burned in open space along the 6700 block of Akerman Drive, near the intersection of Peterson Road and Stetson Hills Boulevard on the east side of Colorado Springs. As of 10 p.m., the fire was 100 percent contained, according to the Colorado Springs Fire Department. It burned 30 acres.
Residents on Summer Grace Street and Akerman Drive were under evacuation notice until about 4 p.m. They can go to UCHealth Park at 4385 Tutt Boulevard, the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) said.
Students at Ridgeview Elementary School were brought to Vista Ridge High School, where parents and guardians can pick them up.
Colorado Springs Fire Department Fire Marshal Brett Lacey said this fire started around 11:19 a.m. The fire started around the Stetson Hills area and went up Sand Creek north to Dublin Boulevard.
— CSFD PIO (@CSFDPIO) May 12, 2022
Lacey said about 500 homes — more than 1,000 people — were evacuated. He said some homes were "slightly damaged," but all were saved.
"There were some fences that were burned and potentially destroyed, but we were able to protect all of the homes of the residents that were affected by this fire," he said.
Twenty-six fire units responded, including more than 70 individuals.
The other fire — called the Skylark Mobile Home Park Fire — is burning farther west near the Skylark Mobile Home Park, just east of Interstate 25. The mobile home park was also evacuated and residents were instructed to go to the Grace Baptist Church, located at 3500 N. Nevada Avenue.
CSFD Lt. Aaron McConnellogue said the call for this fire came in at 11:36 a.m., according to a KOAA reporter at the scene. Resources took some time to arrive due to multiple other fires, he said. In total, eight of the mobile homes were destroyed, but no injuries have been reported as of 2:40 p.m.
About 50 firefighters responded to this fire, KOAA reported.
The causes of both fires are under investigation.
Centura Health said it is monitoring both fires. As of now, Penrose Hospital and St. Francis Hospitals are operating as normal.
An evacuation alert was erroneously sent to residents outside of the area, including individuals who live in Douglas County, Castle Rock, Elbert County, and the Tri-Lakes Monument area.