I-76 northeast of Denver reopens after closure in both directions due to wildfire

Both directions of I-76 reopened after a closure northeast of Denver on Thursday afternoon because of a wildfire. The interstate was closed between Roggen (9 miles east of Keenesburg) and CO 52; CO 39 (14 miles west of Fort Morgan) from Mile Point 48 to Mile Point 66. 

All lanes reopened after 4 p.m.

The fire burned more than 900 acres. Several fire crews responded including air support. 

"One shift of the wind can basically put all of your progress that you did to a halt and cause a new problem. That's what we kept running into was we would knock the fire down and before we could get turned around and mop it up we had fingers coming up on the other side," said Dave Hinson, Chief of Wiggins Fire District. 

On the Colorado Department of Transportation camera, smoke from the wildfire was seen crossing the interstate. 

CBS News Colorado First Alert Meteorologists have declared Thursday a First Alert Weather Day for high fire danger from the Denver metro area out over Colorado's Eastern Plains and for portions of the mountains and Colorado's Western Slope. 

The Red Flag Warning is in effect from noon until 8 p.m. Thursday. The wind was gusting 15 to 35 mph in the Wiggins area at the time of the fire. 

What caused the fire is being investigated. Fire officials said it may have been a re-ignite from a lightning strike on Wednesday.