EL PASO COUNTY, COLO. -- U.S. Forest Service officials said a wildfire burning in the foothills west of Colorado Springs is expected to grow by several thousand more acres in the coming days and weeks.
The Waldo Canyon Fire is estimated at 5,168 acres but has not damaged any homes. The fire, which began in the canyon Saturday, quickly spread due to hot, dry and windy conditions. It has not crossed south of Highway 24, hasn't spread to the Cedar Heights subdivision and has stayed south of Rampart Range Road, all good news for firefighters.
It is about five percent contained as of Tuesday, and full containment is expected July 16.
Highway 24 remains closed from Cave of the Winds to Crystola, but all other major roads are open.
No new evacuations have been ordered. Residents in Cedar Heights, Cascade, Chipita Park, Green Mountain Falls, Mountain Shadows and Peregrine are under evacuation and can go to Red Cross shelters at Cheyenne Mountain High School and Summit Elementary School.
About 12,000 people have been evacuated.
A small structure was burned near Eagle Lake Campground, but it was not a home, and nobody was inside. So far, nobody has been injured.
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