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Fire Sparked By Apparent Lightning Strike At Great Sand Dunes National Park

GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK, Colo. (CBS4) - Lightning is being blamed for a fire at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in southern Colorado. Park officials say the Medano Fire started along the road to get inside in the grassland.

The fire burned more than 300 acres, and is 80% contained.

Traffic was turned away, and the visitor center was closed. As of 8:15 p.m., the park was reopened.

sand dunes fire (great sand dunes np twitter) 2
(credit: Great Sand Dunes National Park)

"Fire crews will continue to work through the night until it is fully contained," park officials stated on social media.

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