Meridian Fire latest: Evacuation orders and Hwy 94 closure lifted at 9:30 Thursday night
UPDATE: Just after 9 p.m. Thursday night, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office said that the evacuation and pre-evacuation orders for the Meridian Fire will be formally lifted at 9:30 p.m. Thursday night. The Highway 94 closure will also end at 9:30 p.m.
The sheriff's office said residents should expect smoke and some flame in hot spot areas throughout the evening. Upon re-entering the area, residents are asked to drive slowly, be alert, and expect the air to be smoky.
According to the latest report from the sheriff's office, the fire is estimated at 2,500 acres and is 70 percent contained. Structure damage was contained to three outbuildings earlier in the evening. Law enforcement and fire personnel will stay on scene into the morning and all shelters will close once evacuations are lifted.
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - The Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) and other agencies responded to a grass fire east of the Colorado Springs Airport. CSFD says they are calling it the Meridian Fire.
CSFD also worked another fire on Thursday afternoon near Garden of the Gods, which officials said was under control within a few hours.
As for the Meridian Fire, KRDO13 will have live updates throughout the evening. You can livestream those by clicking here. You can watch our coverage from earlier this afternoon here:
Evacuation orders were in place for Gusty Bluffs Point and Meridian Road North to Highway 94 and Franceville Coal Mine Road North and to the east border of Schriever Space Force Base in Ellicott. Everyone in the area was ordered to evacuate immediately. Just before 6 p.m., the sheriff's office said all mandatory evacuations were reduced to voluntary evacuations, except for Blaney Road south of Highway 94, which includes Hammer RAnch road and Francis Coalmine Road.
According to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office (EPSO), Highway 94 was closed in both directions just after 3 p.m. between Marksheffel Road and Curtis Road.
There was also an evacuation order for Highway 94 and Franceville Coal Mine Road North to Davis Road, and east to the eastern border of Schriever Space Force Base due to a wildland fire near Gusty Bluffs Point and South Meridian Road.
CSFD says they have about nine different agencies working on the fire. CSFD says the fire is heading in the direction of Schriever Air Force Base. Right now, they don't have a number of how many people have been evacuated, though they do say there are structures that are in danger.
The El Paso County Sheriff's Office (EPSO) says the Red Cross has set up at Patriot High School for those impacted by the Meridian Fire. Shelter, snacks, and supplies are available there at the evacuation center.
