Grassland fires destroy two homes in southeast Colorado

LAS ANIMAS, Colo. (AP) — Two wind-whipped grassland fires in rural southeastern Colorado destroyed two homes, briefly closed a state highway and forced temporary evacuations in the unincorporated community of Fort Lyon. Officials say the fires erupted Tuesday west and east of the town of Las Animas and had blackened nearly 8 square miles by Wednesday. KKTV reports that crews had contained 25% of one fire that surrounded Bent’s Old Fort National Historical Site. The site itself wasn’t damaged. A second fire east of Las Animas briefly forced evacuations near Fort Lyon. Crews from around the state were working the blazes.