Evacuations ordered due to the Vision Hills Fire burning in Southern Colorado

Evacuations were ordered Friday for some residents living near the Vision Hills Fire burning in Pueblo. Multiple fire crews were called to the grass fire burning near Jerry Murphy Road and Vision Hills Parkway just after noon Friday. 

The fire was burning in brush east of Fountain Creek and west of Jerry Murphy Road where it turned into Overton Road. It was estimated at 82 acres as of 5:30 p.m. The containment size was 80% as of 5:30 p.m. 

Evacuation orders were initiated for about 25 homes located a half mile north of 1945 Overton Road after the fire swept to the east side of Overton Road.

A reception center for residents who have been asked to evacuate has been set up at the Pueblo County Parks Office located at 1650 Cooper Place. Those residents who have been asked to evacuate can take large animals the Liberty Landing Stables, 1401 S. McCulloch Blvd in Pueblo West, A secondary location will be at 4 Bar S, 6675 Colo. Hwy 78.

According to a Pueblo County Sheriff's Office tweet, "CART or Community Animal Response Team, is available to help residents with rounding up and transporting large animals from the homes evacuated due to the Vision Hills Fire. CART officials are available at Heritage Baptist Church, 2122 Overton Rd or by calling 719-251-0245."

Red Flag Warnings are in effect Friday for the I-25 corridor into the Eastern Plains for Friday, according to CBS Colorado's First Alert Meteorologists. High temperatures will climb into the 70s and 80s, as winds could gust 40-50 mph, with humidity dropping as low as 8%. All these factors combined contribute to the possibility of rapid fire spread.

What caused the fire has not been determined. 

Agencies working the Vision Hills Fire include Pueblo City Fire, Pueblo County Emergency Services Division Fire, Pueblo Rural Fire, Beulah Fire, Rye Fire, West Park, Hanover Fire, Pueblo Chemical Depot, Pueblo County Roads and Bridges and Division of Fire Protection & Control and AMR.  

There was also dark smoke from a fire at EVRAZ Pueblo steel that was visible in Pueblo. That smoke is blowing north. Homes in the 1000-1100 block of Palo Alto in the Salt Creek neighborhood are on pre-evacuation notice due to the EVRAZ steel fire. 

Firefighters from Colorado Springs were headed to Pueblo to assist with the fires.