Flash flood watches issued for 5 wildfire burn scars in southern Colorado

SOUTHERN COLORADO (KRDO) -- Another day of rain in the weather forecast Monday brings another risk of flash flooding, this time to several wildfire burn scars.

The National Weather Service in Pueblo has issued a flash flood watch for the following burn scars: Spring (La Veta Pass in Huerfano/Costilla counties); Decker (near Salida); Junkins (west of Pueblo); Hayden Pass (western Fremont County); and the Chalk Cliffs near Buena Vista.

The watch starts at noon Monday and ends at 9 p.m.

The NWS said that there is a "marginal" risk for severe weather in those areas that could produce heavy rain, hail and winds of 60 mph.

Storms are expected to move over those scars between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., and heavy flows of mud or ash are a concern.

Neighbors who spoke with KRDO NewsChannel 13 Monday said that local creeks and streams filled, but did not flood, during a storm last Friday.

"It hasn't been too bad since the fire," said Rick Sciacca, who lives next to the Middle Creek bridge. "Right after the fire, volunteers did a lot of mitigation in the creeks to reduce the flood risk. So we don't get a lot of debris, thankfully. Mostly just water or mud. But we keep an eye on it. We're ready to evacuate, if needed."

Sciacca also said that authorities placed flood barriers around his home and others near Middle Creek.

The above fires burned between 2016 and 2019.