Wellington-area fire fully contained; fire conditions remain
A fast-moving fire that scorched 2,000 acres north of Fort Collins on Saturday has been 100 percent contained, but fire-friendly weather conditions remained Sunday.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning Sunday that cautioned of high winds, low humidity and above average temperatures that would contribute to rapid fire spread along the Front Range foothills and through the plains across northeast Colorado.
Forecasters cautioned that, should a fire start, the conditions would provoke to "extreme fire behavior" — meaning that the warm winds would push wildfires through dry vegetation quickly.
The fire Saturday, dubbed the Cattleman Fire, was a wind-driven grass fire. Crews from the Wellington Fire Protection District remained on scene of the Cattleman Fire overnight to continue mop up efforts, but they were able to leave Sunday morning, according to agency spokeswoman Rachael Gonzales. The fire was fully contained about 11:30 p.m. Saturday. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
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Initial estimates placed the fire at more than 2,000 acres, but Gonzales said the agency would likely have an updated estimate later Sunday. No structures were lost in the fire, and nobody was injured, according to a new release by the agency. Despite the fact that the area is home to bison and cattle, no animals were injured or displaced either.
Assisting agencies included the Nunn Volunteer Fire Department, Platte River Power Authority, Larimer County Office of Emergency Services, Loveland Fire, Poudre Fire Authority, Rist Canyon Fire, Livermore Fire and the Colorado Department of Fire and Prevention.
Earlier in the day, the Wellington Fire Protection District battled a 225-acre fire in the 6200 block of Ranchland Road. The fire started about 1:25 p.m. and was contained within an hour and a half. The cause of that fire is still under investigation as well.
Gonzales said drivers across the region should ensure no chains drag from their vehicles and should not toss cigarette butts from their windows, both of which could spark another blaze.
Open burning is also prohibited on red flag warning days, according to the National Weather Service.
Dangerous weather conditions were expected to continue through Monday, and the red flag warning was set to expire at 6 p.m. Monday.
Fort Collins forecast
Monday: A 10 percent chance of snow before 11 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 44. Windy, with gusts as high as 43 mph. Low around 22.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 51. Breezy, with gusts as high as 33 mph. Low around 28.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 63. Low around 36.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 69. Low around 39.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. Low around 39.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.
Source: National Weather Service
Reporter Cassa Niedringhaus covers breaking news for the Coloradoan. Follow her on Twitter: @CassaMN.