LONGMONT, Colo. (AP) - The Latest on windy weather in Colorado (all times local):
Authorities now say a wildfire on grassland in Fort Collins has burned about 150 acres but is at least 75 percent contained.
The Poudre (POO’-dur) Fire Authority said Friday no homes had been damaged. The cause was under investigation.
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5:30 p.m.
Crews are battling another wind-driven wildfire on the Front Range, this one in Fort Collins.
The Poudre (POO’-dur) Fire Authority said Friday the fire had scorched up to 25 acres of dry grassland in southeast Fort Collins, but no homes were threatened.
Authorities say it’s about 35 percent contained.
The cause was under investigation.
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2:35 p.m.
Colorado Springs, Denver and Pueblo have all set records for the warmest day ever recorded in February.
The temperature hit 77 degrees in Colorado Springs on Friday afternoon, 80 at Denver International Airport and 82 in Pueblo thanks to warm, powerful jet stream winds.
The winds also helped spread two wildfires that caused the evacuation of about 300 homes in Boulder County in the morning. One of the fires, west of Longmont, destroyed two barns and an outbuilding.
They also knocked over some trucks, leading to the closure of Interstate 70 between Golden and Dotsero to commercial vehicles.
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10:50 a.m.
Trucks are being kept off Interstate 70 in Colorado’s mountains after at least two of them were flipped by winds gusting over 75 mph.
A 130-mile stretch of I-70 between Golden and Dotsero was closed to commercial vehicles on Friday but passenger vehicles are still able to use the highway.
The National Weather Service says powerful jet stream winds have led to gusts as high as 101 mph on Berthoud Pass.
The winds have also been blamed for shattering some windshields and toppling trees in Rocky Mountain National Park. They’ve also helped spread two wildfires that led to the evacuation of about 300 homes in Boulder County. A photo from the Longmont Times-Call shows two outbuildings that burned west of Longmont.
The warm winds are also raising temperatures. Denver hit a new record high of 74 degrees before noon.
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10 a.m.
About 300 homes have been evacuated because of two wildfires being pushed by gusty winds in Boulder County.
One fire was burning in a relatively flat, open area near some farms and clusters of homes west of Longmont on Friday. The other was burning in the foothills west of Boulder.
Gusty winds also overturned trucks and closed some stretches of Interstate 70 in Summit and Clear Creek counties. They also caused delays at Denver International Airport in the morning.
The fire danger is high in the eastern half of Colorado after a week of unseasonably warm and dry weather. The high in Denver is expected to be in the mid-70s, about 30 degrees above average.
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8:30 a.m.
Authorities have evacuated 125 homes because of a large grass fire being pushed by gusty winds near Longmont.
Residents of additional homes have been warned to also be ready to leave if the fire spreads toward them on Friday.
It’s burning in a relatively open area that is near some farms as well as clusters of houses.
Some trucks have also overturned in the windy weather and delays are expected at Denver International Airport.
The fire danger is high in the eastern half of Colorado after a week of unseasonably warm and dry weather. The high in Denver is expected to be in the mid-70s, about 30 degrees above average.
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