Strong Winds Blow Over Vehicles, Stoke Small Wildfires
ROCKY FORD, Colo. (CBS4) - Heavy winds that are getting stronger as the day goes on are causing problems in parts of Colorado.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued a blowing dust advisory for all of eastern Colorado.
Highway authorities instituted a restriction on commercial vehicles due to the winds on Interstate 25 near Pueblo. That was after they said several vehicles were being blown over.
TRAVEL ALERT: HIGH WIND RESTRICTION for light and empty high profile vehicles NB and SB from Pueblo to New Mexico border. There have been at least three vehicles blown over between Colorado City and New Mexico. Please drive safe. The area is also under a red flag warning.
— Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) (@ColoradoDOT) March 23, 2018
Lightweight or high-profile vehicles are being required to stop and park from Pueblo south to the New Mexico border.
The storm system bringing the gusty winds also made things worse for firefighters on the Eastern Plains. The Otero County Sheriff shared video on Twitter of a small wildfire near Rocky Ford. The smoke from the fire was being blown high into the air.
— Otero County Sheriff - Colorado (@OteroSheriff) March 23, 2018
They also shared video of another fire near La Junta:
Second fire at Road Z and Hwy 71 requesting mutual aid from La Junta Fire and Cheraw Fire. There are additional fires in the Manzanola area as well. God Bless our Firefighters pic.twitter.com/XRymesCvWi
— Otero County Sheriff - Colorado (@OteroSheriff) March 23, 2018
Winds in eastern Colorado were gusting at up to 70 mph just before noon. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for much of southeastern Colorado.
Wildfire Resources
- Visit CBSDenver.com's Living With Wildfire section.
Wildfire Photo Galleries
- See images from the most destructive wildfires (Black Forest, Waldo Canyon, High Park and Fourmile), the deadliest (Storm King) and largest wildfire (Hayman) in Colorado history.