Firefighters reached 100 percent containment of the Wetmore Fire on Monday afternoon. With
the fire fully contained, the Type IV Incident Management Team that had
been managing the fire since Saturday transferred authority of the
incident to Custer County.
Fire officials remind the public that they may smell smoke in the area for the next few weeks.
The
Wetmore Fire began Tuesday, Oct. 23, one-quarter mile from the town of
Wetmore. It burned 1,998 acres in Pueblo and Custer counties. While 15
residential structures were lost, there were no injuries to the public
or firefighters over the course of this incident.
More
than 20 organizations responded to the Wetmore Fire, including: Buelah
Fire Department, the Bureau of Land Management, Canon City Fire
Department, Chaffee County Fire Department, Colorado Department of
Transportation, Colorado Mountain Rangers, Colorado Springs Fire
Department, Colorado State Patrol, Cripple Creek Fire Department, Custer
County, Florence Police Department, Fremont County, Long Canyon Fire
Department, Manitou Springs Fire Department, Pueblo County, Pueblo West
Fire Department, Red Creek Volunteer Fire and Rescue, Rye Fire
Department, South Arkansas Fire Department, South Metro Fire Department,
Tallahassee Fire Department, U.S. Forest Service, West Metro Fire
Department, and Wetmore Fire Department.
The Disaster Assistance Center in Wetmore has closed, but residents can call 719-371-5137 or the Custer County Sheriff at 719-783-2270.
The
Wetmore Fire Information phone line will be put out of service at noon,
Tuesday, Oct. 30. For future information regarding the Wetmore Fire,
please contact Christe Feldmann with the Custer County Office of
Emergency Management at 719-783-2410.
The fire’s cause remains under investigation.
